We fall into categories, where belifes are bundled together into convenient subscription services, where we will be this or that type of person and agree with certain lines of logic.

Moving outside these convenient structures is difficult and scary.

I’m sorry the world has us disagreeing with each other so much. It has us defensive, offended, wary.

I’d like to think much of this is due to our own strongly held beliefs, and that many of those are as likely to be as incorrect as correct.

There’s this weird understanding in modern civilisation that if you believe something that is a right to act as if it’s true. This is of course the ultimate lack of beliefs at all - almost admitting that nothing is real or true so everyone can live in their own make-believe reality.

Unfortunately those realities often clash, especially when someone acting in their version of the world steps on someone else’s. Such as carnists eating meat and believing it’s fine, because they think it’s fine, therefore it’s fine, while others see their actions as callous, deliberate harms to other living breathing beings.

Abortion is another example. For many, it’s a case of women’s rights. For others, it approaches murder. It depends on what a foetus is in your version of the world.

Of course both sides will say they have science on their side, but the truth is science is always on everyone’s side because science is a method of inquiry.

Go easy on each other. Err on the side of respect for life. These are huge challenges posed to our modern libertarian society - which itself was hard won and is a massive boon to us globally.

We just, all of us, don’t know which way is up. At least, don't let anyone tell you how to think. If you want to explore alternatives, the only thing stopping you is your fear of living outside the bucket.