Originally posted by Ivan Seeking
In this light, could science be driving people to Prozac?
Perhaps we just can't handle the truth?
Hm, interesting question.
What exactly do you mean by "science". As in, science is uncovering much that people can't handle, so they try and deal with it with prozac. Or do you mean that science has invented such "wonder drugs" as prozac that people seem them as an end-all cure-all?
My opinion is that almost everyone can handle the truth. The problem arises when the truth conflicts something they already believe to be true. That's when they get undecisive.
From a mental health standpoint, this arises an interesting question. John Edwards and others like him may add to mental stability by telling people what they want to hear, but in the long run, are they better? Is living in a false sense of security better for the mind? Especially when that sense of security could be disturbed at any possible time.
Let's think of an analogy for this...Ok, let's say that someday a fleet of alien ships appear out of hyperspace and land in wrigley field. Now this sudden change of belief for everyone on Earth (or, nearly everyone) that we're not alone, and indeed, not even the best thing in the universe. What would that suddenly do to our psyche?
This is just like what would happen with John Edwards. Say a person believes in Edwards, and continues to belief in his "abilities", until one day when John (or someone) comes out with the fact that he's a complete fraud. What would it do to this person's entire perception of reality?
Now, expand that to a society, and there is a potential negative effect of Edwards.
But there's no denying that most of the human race cannot live without some sense of afterlife. It's a very sad thing, but completely true. It is nearly an impossible thing to deny that an afterlife exists, and firm believers will probably always be around. Does this impede their social progress? Does the belief in an afterlife and other psuedoscience/paranormal impede a society?
