I want you to get MAD!!

Updated 2 years ago

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Thoughts and prayers have value. They help people get through tough times, helping them feel that they are not tackling this existence alone. God is the ultimate higher power. Prayers are comforting to survivors, trying to make sense of this brutally cruel world God created, where innocent children get born with cancer (or worse) and the Holocaust happens.


An atheist would point out that behavioral psychologists have learned that once attention/interest is granted, a random reward schedule can strengthen learning reinforcement. As it happens, reality is random, and humans are pattern-seeking creatures. These factors coalesce into many humans praying, and often believing that prayer works – that it can change reality.

Prayer Change


The problem arises when prayers are performed without action. It’s the definition of insanity – expecting different results from the same actions. Kind of like eating sugar or smoking crack – feels good for a little bit but ultimately not a good idea. I think some people are very well addicted to prayer, a little dopamine rush to try to make sense of this dark reality tunnel. For these people, each new mass shooting perversely presents new content, a new opportunity to get high off the Holy Spirit, and then forgetaboutit.


Worse, thoughts and prayers entail a major opportunity cost that spreads like a virus among the thousand points of light – they give you an illusion that something is actually being done, and after you do them, it’s time to move on. And the cycle continues.
Faith alone isn’t enough. Just ask all the Christian Scientists who died of common ailments. Just ask all the rabbis who led prayers, all the way to the gas chamber.
Maybe survivors shouldn’t be comforted – maybe they should get MAD.

I want you to get mad.

Just Do It
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