The Strength of your Intellectual Integrity

[Stravinsk]

The strength of your intellectual integrity - the title of this thread.

How strong do you think you are in having internal integrity for your beliefs?

How often do you rely on "everyone thinks this", or "everyone knows this" or some similar fallback to group think - perhaps a group think that "everyone" came to because they were told that? And shamed into conformity?

When considering any opinion on any information - how often do you ask "will it make me look" (stupid/foolish/bigoted <--insert negative adjective here)?

How often have you adopted an opinion *just* because it is popular and rejected one *just* because it is unpopular?


Asch Conformity Experiment:

Personally, I think I am being honest when I say I have a high personal integrity for my beliefs, regardless of whether they are popular or not. That being said - not always and in all situations. For example, when I was a church goer and attended a rather large Lutheran church where I had quite a few friends - I would question things, but I knew where to stop questioning them because to continue probing (honestly, using Scripture) would earn me greater isolation based on church belief and practice. Therefore my probes into certain subjects were gentle but "bendable" - in other words, I valued the comfort of the collective in these instances over intellectual integrity with regard to the subjects. After I stopped attending any church I was free to question as it was no longer in any way influenced by my dependence on, and comfortableness within the group.

 

[tango]

I like to maintain as high an integrity as possible. Sometimes it's tricky because it's remarkably easy to adopt positions that conflict with each other (usually when one principle conflicts with an option to personally benefit from something).

I don't get the impression very many people like being called out when they hold mutually contradictory positions on different topics. I don't usually like it at the time but do typically appreciate having it pointed out, as sometimes I don't always spot them.

 

[popsthebuilder]

I don't hold to any beliefs because of the influence of another person or group of people when it comes to spiritual things or things about GOD, or the direction of man by the will of GOD.

I find the truth to be simple and easily discernible; therefore; if ones opinion isn't rather simple and easily concluded and in line with scripture and the Word, then I don't put much more thought into it. But if it does fit all those criteria, and also is coming from one who is humble or at least not bashing people, then I have to attempt to consider it without bias. Admittedly; this very rarely happens.

I can imagine it must be somewhat a task for many to not be swayed by others; but that just isn't the case when you aren't a social person who relies or even cares about social status or acceptance.

Conversely; it is nice when two actually do conclude a spiritual matter harmoniously.