Science

Zealots.

Monomaniacs. 

Bigots. 

Click for image source.

These are words that keep rolling about inside my head as of late. They're discouraging words to me. They're disheartening as well. They somewhat sting your heart. They're not something you'd want to be associated with I would think. I certainly do not want to be associated with them. There was indeed a hour in my life in which I was a zealot, a bigot, a monomaniac. A hour I am not proud of by any means. If I had not learned deeply from being this ass hole I would gladly take back all those days. I was a zealot for Christianity, for the Republican "cause", and for whatever other beliefs I could shove down your bleeding liberal Atheist throat. I was a teenager during this hour. Therefore I offer my naivety, my ignorance, as my excuse for such a lack of empathy. I'll be quite honest here; I'm not sure I've fully forgiven myself for being such a prudish, narrow-minded, austere monomaniac. Forgiving one's self is a Mount Everest of a path to tread at times. I was a bigot once, but I strive to be this no more. 

This may be somewhat of a long story in order to get to why these words have been rolling around inside my head as of late - bear with me. So, the past couple of years I have been on a sort of mission to detox my life in a very literal sense of the word. I've been trying to rid my life of toxic chemicals in my food, in my cleaning products I use on my body, in the cleaning products I use in my home, so on and so forth. This has been a long process, but a fulfilling one. After a couple of years on this mission I have come quite close to eliminating toxic chemicals. Then something happened... with my health. I have a great set of chomppers - teeth that is. I somewhat took pride in the fact that I was 29 years old with zero cavities. Hence, when after using homemade toothpaste (organic coconut oil, organic peppermint oil, and baking soda) for a couple months, and a strange brown stain started to appear between my front two teeth I flipped out a bit. I immediately stopped using my homemade toothpaste, and moved onto a commercial "natural" toothpaste. Six months or so passes with the strange brown stain gone, and no dental problems. I was happy with the natural toothpaste, and happy to not be flooding my body with unneeded chemicals in the process. Then came my six month cleaning, and after 30 years of not having cavities, I now have TWO. Now, now, now, please do not read me wrong. These cavities could have come no matter if I had or had not switched to a natural toothpaste. There are a plethora of factors which could have contributed to two of my teeth deciding to decay. Hell, it could have been because well, I'm 30 now, and right on cue I'm starting to fall apart. It was probably an array of means which contributed to my two cavities, but in the forefront of my mind was that damn toothpaste. After my cavities were drilled and filled, I ran to the store like mad woman in search for "normal" toothpaste to rescue my mouth from myself. 

Click here for image source.

That particular incident though taught me something crucial: balance. If I've said it once, I've said it a million times; balance is a elementary key to life. You see, I was grouping chemicals and science into one big "Oh shit, it says [enter complex named chemical here]! Put that down! It causes cancer!" It's not that simple folks. It's just not. Science is good. And guess what, everything is made of "chemicals". I am not stating that I'm giving up my all natural lifestyle - hell no. I'm going to keep on keepin' on with my natural lifestyle. It is the best choice for my life; whole foods, Dr. Bonner's soaps, and white vinegar as my primary disinfectant. In saying that, I must also say that I will be consulting science with my quest for a natural lifestyle. Though I'm a naturalist, I ain't stupid. My child is vaccinated. Thank you science. No, really, thank you. I did my research there, and chose wisely. See? Balance.

I've always had an itch for science. I was always halfway decent at such in school as a kid. I took way more science classes in high school than required simply because I enjoyed it so. Though I didn't apply myself very much I always ended the class with an average grade. I found school annoying, and never found the drive to apply myself. I imagine if I had applied myself, well, I'm not sure if I'd be sitting where I am today (not that I am in a life I do not want to be in, but simply life would be different I assume). You see as of late I've been drowning myself in science - science of all fields, because I find them all fascinating; physics, astrophysics, biology, chemistry, quantum physics, so on, and on. Science is essential to life, and honestly, everyone should be interested in it at least somewhat. My neglecting science and chemicals was a mistake. It was foolish. It was irrational. It was down right stupid. In coming to this conclusion I have changed my way, and I'm finding balance. I'm growing - evolving - maturing. 

Click for image source.

Now here is where the terms zealot, bigot, and monomaniac come in. As I've been drowning in all things science I found that science isn't impervious to the zealot, the bigot, the monomaniac. I don't know why I thought it would be. I suppose I thought it would because science folk are smart. I assumed (making an ass out of myself in the process) because of their high intelligence they wouldn't be so fucking egotistical as to assert that what they believe is the only road to which humans need to be on. Yes, science is crucial to humanity. Science is medicine, space travel, clean energy sources, and on into infinity it goes as to what science is to humans. There is no doubt it is a crucial element of our existence. But for the God's sake it isn't gospel. That's right, Neil degrasse Tyson and Bill Nye, science isn't gospel. There isn't a gospel - that's the gospel (philosophy, get some). Those scientist out there shoving science down humanities' throat, saying those that aren't science zealots are bumbling fools, aren't doing science any justice. They aren't doing humanity any justice either.

There is more to life than science I'm afraid. There are many who would say "No, you're wrong, there is nothing more to existence than science." To those that believe such; you're a zealot, a bigot, a monomaniac. You're no better than the ass hole Christian standing on the street corner damning everyone who doesn't believe like they do to hell. You're really not any better. Quit asserting your beliefs to the point of looking down upon others, to the point of an inflated ego, to the point of closing yourself off from humans that differ from you. By being a science zealot, a science bigot, you're not contributing to humanity, but failing it. You're unbalanced. Being a zealot, a bigot, a monomaniac in any sense is being too much of something, and unbalanced. Being such will not do you in good, or anyone else. It inflates your ego. It makes you unapproachable. It causes others to feel threatened in your presence. An inflated ego, being unapproachable, coming off as threatening isn't something that benefits any human. 

Click for image source.

All in all, scientist, please stop being zealots. Everyone, just stop it. Find some balance in your life. Quit shoving what you find to be truth down everyones throat. You don't like it that religious folk do it, you don't like it when politicians do it, you don't like it when other scientist do it to you - so, stop. Be proud that you're a scientist, that your beliefs are back up by evidence and data, and that you love science. But do not be a zealot. Find balance in your existence. Keep some childlike wonder inside you. Don't be so set on tangible evidence and data. Yes, I just said that. You can't measure love. You can say that it's all chemicals in the brain, all oxytocin, but you know "deep down" it's "more". Deny it all you want, say we're nothing but physical entities, but I see it in your eyes, you feel we're more. You can't measure what that "more" is, and therefore you deny it. I understand. I truly do. But keep a little bit of that "more" that you feel you are, and keep it safe. Keep it so you don't become a zealot. Keep it so you won't start to look at humans like there just heaps of flesh for you to study. Keep it. Hold it tight. Never let go.

Instead of slaughtering each other with our differences, let's hold each other tight whilst standing on common ground.

Working on balance,
Haley