Beliefs should be like fluid entities within the mind, some malleable and doubtful, others more viscous and certain. But feeling certain should never be confused with being incontestable. Once a belief is allowed to solidify, it becomes like a shackle on the mind, inhibiting exploration, learning and growth. A fluid mind should never allow a belief to be so hardened that it is beyond rational scrutiny. A fluid mind always invites rational examination upon even its most cherished convictions.
“I wondered, not for the first time, what patriotism is, what the love of country truly consists of, how that yearning loyalty...arises: and how so real a love can become, too often, so foolish and vile a bigotry. Where does it go wrong?”
—Ursula K. Le Guin
Copyright © 2026 Daniel G. Delaney