An intrinsic part of human nature is the need to feel empowered, to have a sense of having control of the world around us. This need, this drive to find and manipulate the “control knobs” in our lives, creates a susceptibility towards bias which affects how we perceive everything around us.
A feeling of empowerment can often enable the vast resources of energy and creativity which reside within each of us. These powers can take us, and our neighbors, on journeys of either deconstruction or construction.
Sadly, history is littered with movements which are sparked by genius, either evil or well-intentioned, and then powered toward hellish ends by a host of empowered individuals bent to purposeful tasks. Successful completion of these tasks may be rewarded in a way which confirms a biased viewpoint, which empowers and encourages application of energy and creativity to the next task. Early and enthusiastic adapters often reap extra rewards, whether or not the new field ultimately proves beneficial to mankind.
Any society which wishes to retain individual freedom and self-direction must encourage and train each citizen to understand bias and to recognize when human endeavor has fallen victim to such and taken a wrong turn. Every citizen must be unafraid to voice sincere concerns without fear of reprisal by government or fellow citizens. Because mistakes will be made, and initial feedback may encourage biased and invalid assumptions. Such is the nature of every person and every union of people.
