We like to believe our thinking is logical, that our choices come from careful reasoning. Yet much of the time, our minds are guided by feelings, habits, and social pressure. This is where irrational beliefs take hold—ideas that feel true but fall apart under evidence.
Think about it: have you ever said to yourself, “I know this doesn’t make sense, but it just feels true”? Maybe it was about a relationship, a fear of flying, or a superstition you couldn’t quite shake. That tension—between objective truth versus subjective truth—is at the very heart of irrational belief.
Unraveling the Truth Within
Psychologists explain that our minds have two central systems for thinking:
- System 1: Fast, emotional, intuitive. It blurts out, “This just feels right.”
- System 2: Slow, careful, logical. It pauses and asks, “But what are the facts?”
Here’s the problem: System 1 usually speaks first and louder. Imagine seeing a shadow in your room at night. Your gut screams, “There’s someone here!” That’s System 1. Then System 2 whispers a moment later: “Wait, it’s just the coat I hung on the chair.”
These two systems intersect with what we believe to be true, but truth can be either objective or subjective.
- Objective Truth: Something that is true no matter what people believe. It’s based on facts, evidence, and reality. Example: Water boils at 100°C (212°F) at sea level.
- Subjective Truth: Something that feels true to a person, but may not be true for everyone. It’s based on personal feelings, opinions, or experiences. Example: “Chocolate is the best ice cream flavor.”
Then, we have programming from sources that trigger powerful emotions so that we think and act in the way they want us to. Who would do that? It all began with religious indoctrination; it’s the original boot camp. These tactics are mirrored in modern-day advertising, social media, and some political movements. These entities blur the line between objective truth versus subjective truth, making it harder to know what’s real.
Groupthink Manipulation
Boot camp is the military term for intensive indoctrination. Boot camp is a process that strips the candidate of their individuality and identity. They take away all personal possessions, cut off all their hair, and place them on strict 24-hour routines. The routines are composed of activities designed to erode free thinking and drive compliance. Candidates receive rewards for compliance and punishment for failure or disobedience. It is a process of continual testing. This experience creates lasting mental programming.
You’d think everyone would want a mind uncluttered by thoughts and values that cloud their thinking. Many people struggle to let go of irrational beliefs, falsehoods, and lies. You know them as “believers.” What entices people to become believers?
Irrational thinking starts with the acceptance of a false premise, something that cannot be proven with facts or evidence. The most common is the belief in an imaginary friend. Children create imaginary friends as a way of learning and testing role models. They know they are just pretending and that their imaginary friend isn’t real. However, when adults pretend that the existence of an imaginary being is real, that creates a delusion. Delusions shift from being subjective to objective in daily life. This type of thinking alters how our brains are wired. You lose the battle of objective truth versus subjective truth.
Changing The Wiring of the Brain
Our beliefs are more than mere decisions to accept or reject something. Your beliefs change the psychic structures of the mind. A belief can trigger our most primitive instinctual fight, flight, or freeze response (3F response). If you have a fear of spiders, you can reprogram your 3F response. You can reach a point where you’re no longer terrified by the sight of an ordinary spider. It is the same for snakes or any other creature.
Why are some people triggered by bouts of terror at the sight of a spider, while others are not? We don’t really know. It could be a trait that is passed down through our DNA. Alternatively, it may stem from learned social or cultural responses. Modern culture and hunter-gatherer communities have differing views on insects. For many indigenous people, insects, including spiders, are a regular part of their diets. Most people living modern lifestyles would have a hard time living with an indigenous tribe. They would need to face a plethora of fears about insects and reptiles.
A bad experience or nightmare may be the source of a phobia. Movies have brought a whole new set of experiences into our lives. For example, the scene of Indiana Jones falling into the snake pit gives our imaginations fuel for nightmares. All we know is that our response is something we can reprogram.
Another thing we know is that exposure makes all the difference. The longer you expose yourself to images and stories, the more likely you are to accept them. This is something that religions bank on, literally. They rely on the fears and greed they instill to attract many repeat customers. Keeping objective truth versus subjective truth separate is crucial in religious matters.
The ancient mystery religions employed propaganda to exert control over their followers. It is based on triggering emotional responses. It works as well today as it did when it was invented 6,000 years ago. It was used to change German attitudes in the 1930s, which led to World War II. Irrational beliefs create scapegoats or targets on which to direct fear and anger. The Germans picked the Jews and other undesirables, like the Gypsies and homosexuals, as scapegoats. They used irrational prejudice to segregate and then systematically exterminate them.
Aligning Beliefs with Truth — Why We Get It Wrong
Here’s a truth most people avoid: we often don’t align our beliefs with reality. Instead, we twist facts to fit our beliefs. Psychologists call this motivated reasoning. Unraveling the truth within starts with confronting this kind of thinking.
People like to feel right. It makes us feel safe and in control. So when we believe something strongly—like an idea, a memory, or a feeling—we want everything else to match that belief.
However, sometimes the truth or facts do not align with our beliefs. When this happens, it can be uncomfortable or even scary. So instead of changing our beliefs to align with the facts, we try to twist the facts to make them fit. It’s a mindset known as confirmation bias. Here, we look for evidence to confirm our beliefs. At the same time, we overlook information that contradicts our beliefs.
Here’s why we do this:
1. Comfort: Changing beliefs can be emotionally unsettling and makes us feel insecure.
2. Pride: Admitting we’re wrong can hurt our ego. We don’t like to feel foolish.
3. Belonging: We like to feel part of a group that aligns with our beliefs.
4. Habit: We’ve believed some things for a long time, it’s more difficult to change.
Imagine reading about climate change and thinking about it. “This must be exaggerated. Humans can’t be responsible.” In this case, instead of adjusting belief to fit reality, the mind adjusts reality to fit belief. Growth begins with unraveling the truth within, even when the truth is uncomfortable.
What’s Better?
The process of aligning beliefs with truth can be uncomfortable, but it leads to clarity and confidence. It’s better to let facts and truth guide our beliefs. That way, we grow wiser, make better choices, and gain a clearer understanding of the world. It’s not always easy—but it’s worth it.
The process is uncomfortable because it tests our set beliefs. These beliefs come from our mind’s automatic filter. Once you start challenging and changing your views, it becomes easier. So, when you encounter new facts, you can adjust your thinking to align with them. Unraveling the truth within is not about finding perfect answers—it’s about asking honest questions.
Aligning beliefs with truth takes effort:
1. Pause and Question: “Am I bending facts to fit what I want to believe?”
2. Seek Evidence: Find information that challenges your assumptions.
3. Separate Feelings from Facts: Emotions are real, but they aren’t the truth.
4. Reflect on Bias: Consider how social, emotional, and health factors shape thinking.
When we align beliefs with truth rather than bending reality to fit them, thinking becomes clearer. As a result, our decisions are more reliable, and internal conflicts diminish.
This tug-of-war explains why irrational ideas often feel more convincing than rational ones. Let’s look at how this affects daily life. We can focus on four key elements that shape our thinking: beliefs, social influences, emotions, and health.
Objective Truth Versus Subjective Truth
The interplay between belief, social influences, emotions, and our health are not constant. They can be changed or altered by others. When we are in a highly emotional state, we are more susceptible to manipulation. Groupthink tactics and hypnotic techniques can trick us into believing things that aren’t true or real.. In fact, the use of these tools is so common that we often fail to recognize when they are being used.
1. Beliefs: The Stories We Tell Ourselves
Beliefs are mental shortcuts. They help us organize life quickly, but once they take root, they can distort reality.
Take this inner dialogue, for example:
- “I failed that test. Maybe I’m just not smart enough.”
- Then a second thought tries to fight back: “No, maybe I just didn’t prepare enough. I can do better next time.”
The first voice is irrational—it takes one failure and turns it into a life sentence. The second voice is rational—it looks at evidence and leaves room for growth.
Psychologists call this trap confirmation bias. We tend to see evidence that supports our beliefs and overlook what contradicts them. If you think you’re unlucky, every bad event confirms that view. Meanwhile, you overlook any lucky breaks. We must learn the difference between objective truth versus subjective truth. Then, we can make better choices.
But here’s the thing: beliefs rarely grow in isolation. They’re shaped, reinforced, and spread through the groups we belong to.
2. Social Influences: The Power of Group Thinking
“Everybody says it, so it must be true.” Sound familiar? That’s social proof in action.
Picture this: You are at a family dinner. Someone insists, “Vaccines are dangerous.” A few heads nod. You are not convinced, but hours later, that doubt lingers in your mind. Why? Because the group’s agreement made it feel real.
- Rational outcome: A community encourages fact-checking and debate.
- Irrational outcome: A community repeats a myth until it feels like common sense.
Groups give us identity and comfort, but they also amplify beliefs—rational or not. And once a belief feels like it belongs to your “tribe,” it’s even harder to question.
But not all irrational beliefs spread through groups. Some are born in the raw, private space of our emotions.
3. Emotions: When Feelings Pretend to Be Facts
Emotions give life its flavor, but they can also hijack our thinking.
Have you ever thought:
- “I feel anxious, so something bad must be about to happen.”
- Or, “I feel angry, so I must be right.”
That’s emotional reasoning—the belief that feelings equal facts. Strong emotions, such as fear, shame, or anger, can overwhelm logic.
Take the fear of flying. The statistics say planes are far safer than cars. But the nervous flyer thinks to themselves: “My pounding heart means danger is real. I shouldn’t get on that plane.”
Here, System 1 is screaming while System 2 is silenced.
And yet, emotions do not appear on their own. They’re closely tied to the state of the body and brain—our overall health.
4. Health: The Mind-Body Connection
When your body is worn down, your mind stumbles, too.
Think about a time you were sleep-deprived. Did minor problems feel overwhelming? Did arguments seem harder to resolve? A tired brain struggles to use System 2—the rational, careful voice—makes us more vulnerable to irrational shortcuts.
- Rational thought: “I’m negative today because I haven’t slept well. My thoughts may be off.
- Irrational thought: “I feel hopeless, so life must be hopeless.”
Stress, poor diet, or depression can tilt our thinking toward the irrational without us even realizing it. Meditation is one key that helps us calm the mind. In moments of silence and reflection, we begin unraveling the truth within and discovering what truly matters.
If beliefs, social pressure, emotions, and health are unhealthy, irrational ideas can be hard to break. That’s when the anchor of objectivity becomes vital.
Objective Truth: Facts Beyond Feelings
Facts don’t bend to opinion. It remains steady, regardless of what anyone believes. That is what objectivity is all about.
1. Water boils at 100°C (212°F) at sea level.
2. The Earth orbits the Sun.
3. Two plus two equals four.
Rational thought leans on these stable truths. Irrational thoughts and personal truths push back against facts. They substitute objective information for personal or group stories.
But even with clear facts in front of us, we often confuse feelings with truth. That is because beliefs, social groups, emotions, and health all tangle together.
The Cost of Irrational Beliefs
Not all beliefs are based on truth or facts. Some are based on fear, feelings, or things we’ve heard but never checked. These are called irrational beliefs—ideas that don’t match reality.
Some irrational beliefs are harmless. For example, thinking your lucky socks help your team win might not hurt anyone. But other beliefs can cause real problems in life.
Here are a few examples:
1. Health: Refusing treatment due to fear or misinformation. If someone believes false information about medicine or doctors, they may be less likely to seek help. This can lead to serious illness or even death. Trusting bad information can be dangerous.
2. Relationships: Believing “I’m unlovable” and pushing people away. When someone thinks they aren’t worthy of love—even if it’s not true—they might avoid closeness or reject people who care about them. This belief can lead to loneliness and sadness.
3. Society: False beliefs fueling division, anger, or conflict. When people believe lies about others—especially about groups of people—it can lead to hatred, fear, and conflict. These beliefs can divide communities and make it harder for people to live in peace together.
These costs are real. They affect our bodies, our hearts, and our world. That’s why it’s so important to examine our beliefs and ensure they align with the truth. It’s not just smart—it’s necessary.
Balancing Personal Experience With Objective Truth
We can’t throw out personal experience—it gives life meaning. But we also can’t ignore truth—it keeps us grounded. Balance comes from bringing both into conversation:
1. Ask for Evidence: “What proof supports this belief?”
2. Check Alternative Views: Step outside your bubble.
3. Protect Your Health: Sleep, nutrition, and stress management keep your mind clear.
4. Pause on Emotions: Feelings are valid, but they are not facts.
This balance is the foundation for wisdom, resilience, and freedom. The conflict between objective truth versus subjective truth is common in politics. Here, personal beliefs often outweigh facts.
Personal experience helps us understand the world in a deep and personal way. It includes our memories, emotions, and the lessons we’ve learned. These things matter—they shape who we are.
But experience alone isn’t always enough. Sometimes, what feels true to us isn’t actually true. That’s where objective truth comes in. It’s based on facts, evidence, and reality—things that stay true no matter how we feel.
When we balance both—our personal experience and the truth—we make better choices. We become wiser, stronger, and freer. We stop being trapped by false ideas and start living with clarity and confidence.
Closing Thought
The mind is not a flawless truth detector. It’s a storyteller, a social sponge, an emotional reactor, and a body tied to health. Noticing when these forces pull us toward irrational thinking is the key to aligning beliefs with truth.
That choice is the first step toward absolute clarity—and real freedom. The battle between objective truth and subjective truth is an ongoing conflict in our culture and within our minds. Unraveling the truth within requires courage, especially when it challenges deeply held beliefs.
References
- Biological and cognitive underpinnings of religious fundamentalism. National Library of Medicine (PMC).
- Forcing a religion on your children is as bad as child abuse. Time.com.
- Cambridge Analytica. Wikipedia.
- Thinking, Fast and Slow. Wiley (Publisher).
- Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises. Review of General Psychology.
- Groupthink: Psychological studies of policy decisions and fiascoes. Internet Archive (for Houghton Mifflin).
- Paradigm of propaganda. International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences.
- Effects of sleep deprivation on cognition. ScienceDirect (for Progress in Brain Research).