My teacher back in grade school seemed like a jerk for making us show work on simple math problems we could solve in our heads. I objected forcefully to what seemed like a ridiculous task and at recess I found a few friends who agreed with me. The next math class he gave me a piece of chalk and a division problem and challenged me for the answer which I confidently wrote on the board. He asked me if I was sure of my answer. I said I was. A few classmates snickered. One boy blurted out “Wrong!”
The teacher asked me if I wanted to show my work? “Sure,” I said, thinking I was about to show everyone I was right. A moment later I discovered my error. I was embarrassed because I was so caught up with certainty that I did not bother to check my work.
Have you ever felt sure of something very important to you? What is it like to try to convince someone who doubts? Do you get frustrated? We like to be with people who value what we value because associating with groups helps us feel certain. Sports fans hang out with fellow fans. Among other things, belonging to this group reinforces a sense of certainty that their team is the best – even when they lose games.
Group situations help us satisfy the craving to be right about our religion, sexuality, country, political beliefs, culture, race, gender, etc. But without a context of situational support our attitudes can make us look pretty naive sometimes. Too often our hunger for certainty obscures the nutritional value contained in the morsels of passion we find so appealing and difficult to give up.
The other night I watched some indignant radio talk show host get frustrated at Chris Matthews for asking him to show his work. The guy’s attitude of certainty was all the evidence his fellow believers might need, but Mr. Matthews refused to believe. I wonder if the guy learned his lesson.
The following video is a re-cap of the exchange. It begins after a short message.
