I am very fact focused. Summing it up, I say I moralize logic. That doesn’t mean I don’t see the reality behind things.

Feeling

Feelings are more important than fact for people. The reason why facts are important are for ensuring that feelings can be repeatable.

As an example, let’s say I get a feeling of achievement by writing a blog post. Where does that feeling of achievement come from? For some, it might be others agreeing with them. Others might get that feeling from articulating their thoughts. It also seems likely that someone just wants people to read their work.

What if those things that create that feeling of achievement are removed? That feeling of achievement relied on someone else’s actions or opinions.

Ephemerality

Feelings are based on facts in that case. Knowing facts create that feeling. The question becomes, do we ignore facts to maintain a feeling? Can we say with certainty that we our weighting facts in an empirical way or is there a chance we are weighting them to match the feeling we desire?

With some facts, they are extremely ephemeral and can change over time. If I write a blog post and get a sense of achievement today it doesn’t mean I will maintain that sense of achievement tomorrow. I could suddenly think my writing sucks, new people disagree with me and everyone else then agrees, or I could learn that no one actually read my writing and just clicked “Like” on it.

What is more important for a person? Feeling or fact? Is a fact important if it doesn’t help them feel anything?

Fact

I have always had trouble remembering random facts. Something isn’t important to me if it doesn’t relate to something else. I assume most people are like that.

The facts that we accept have a lot of barriers to get through. We erect them ourselves because we want the world to have a narrative that makes sense. The narrative should have us as the hero of the story.

My facts that I hold as true need to build that narrative. The character that I am in my own head needs to survive. He is based on those facts. His current and past actions are based on those facts.

The question for me is simple. Is the avatar of myself in my head based on facts or feelings?

Me

I am a very logical person. I care a lot about what other people think. It is even more important how they think, and I know that. In my own head, I try to keep a narrative that is consistent.

Even in this world, my narrative isn’t really based on facts. It is based on feelings that are produced from those facts. The facts can change as long as the narrative remains the same.

This is why my current narrative about the world has become more pragmatic. What I feel is less based around changeable facts. Experience has taught me that the narrative should be based on facts changing.

The current version of me wants consistent feelings. I would feel insecure if I didn’t. Sometimes, I feel insecure. I am working on rewriting my views on things so that I am less vulnerable to the feelings of other people. This also involves accepting facts while not having any new fact change my personal narrative.

Others

I want to be in control of my feelings. There isn’t much I can do about other people’s thoughts and feelings. Understanding those other people is a part of my new narrative. Changing their mind or them liking me is not.

I have a feeling that this puts me on the track to being more stoic. I anticipate that is a good thing.