Only two days left until the end of the world.

Well...

Of course the construct of our 'individual' minds, is really a conglomeration of our experiences and our own reality. Our perspective is also a construct of the group or cultural society we choose to affiliate with. Our society is the construct of our interacting minds and groups. Our world is the hodge-podge of all these different views. Hence our general world view is much less specific than our personal world view.

We apparently fall into and rely upon our belief constructs in order to individually reason or justify our personal world views. This of course is not objective, just as thinking the world will end on Dec. 22nd... or any other configuration of excuse we as individuals or groups may choose to use to justify what will, or did not, happen on December 22nd, 2012.

There are interesting issues regarding beleifs that are important to consider.

1. They are subjective not objective.
2. They may or may not be supported by evidence.
3. The evidence used to support ones belief is often selected (cherry picked) based on ones bias.
4. When examined in relevant context the belief view is often exposed as logically weak.
5. Lack of objectivity in the view prevents individuals from objectifying their view due to the nature of bias.

So what Do we end up with?

Depending on the ability of society in general to be objective we end up with a mixed pot of subjective views that are not based in what may best be termed as a well-reasoned objective view.

How is an individual or a group to decide whom or what to trust?

That's easy. Each individual will trust that which is easiest for them to trust often ignoring objective reality when evidence for justification of ones perspective belief is weighed in context. In other words, anything that does not fit the individual or chosen group worldview will often be ignored, or downplayed.

What's an individual or society to do?

Well, we need to take control of our senses and try not to follow the easy path. We need to educate ourselves through more objective analysis. We need to support objective education. We need to attempt to stop going with the easy 'group view' and challenge what we hear from our groups and even what we hear and sense from ourselves.

We can do it. We can be more objective and less subjective. It takes a concerted effort as well as individual willpower. We can stop being sheeple.