<rant>

To rant or not to rant, that is the question.

<end rant>

<rant>

Why do so many anons feel the compulsion to figure out or decide:

This person is a white hat. This person is not a white hat.

I should trust this person. I should not trust this person.

Will deciding if X person "is a white hat" or not going to change my life? Change my actions?

Maybe it might influence whether I pay attention to someone or not, but if I am paying attention, shouldn't I be deciding the value of the information that person/group shares or what they do based on the fruits, or quality of the content? Or should I simply decide: Ok, now I can BELIEVE in this person. Or, now I will NOT believe in this person, so that I can hang up my thinking cap and again step further away from the responsibility of thinking and feeling for myself?

How is it material to decide, or know, that person Y is a white cap? Or a black hat?

Shouldn't anons remember that between the black hats and the white hats, there is a WHOLE lot of gray hats who outnumber either of those by about 10, or 40, or 100 to 1?

Seems to me that some anons want decide that someones a whitey or a blacky, or can "be trusted" or "not trusted", because this consciously or unconsciously allows them to confer some sort of idol status on that person, or reverse idol status.

E.g. This person is a black hat, so I can justifiably dismiss everything they say and do, and that makes me feel.... secure.

E.g. This person is a while hat, so so I can justifiably accept everything they say and do, and that makes me feel.... secure.

I get the sense of insecurity, but the antidote is not idolization. It's finding faith in knowing, understanding, and then taking responsibility for what I decide to do, or believe.

Idolization = grasping for some sense of security in the midst of a world of doubt, but inappropriately putting something in the position that rightfully belongs to God. Idolization, conscious or not, takes one away from a true place of integrity, rather than leading one closer to integrity.

Isn't that what hopium is? Hopium is conferring 'idol status' on information that really should not have it, simply because it makes me feel good, or makes me feel some relief.

The need for relief is understandable. But do we reach for the narcotic to experience relief, or should we strive to resolve the real cause of the doubt, or pain, or anxiety?

<end rant>