An excellent article that rises some deep thoughts.
I really hate to see visionaries being ridiculed by some smart-arses. Visionaries seek big improvements and fuel the progress of entire population.
Why Be Skeptical In A World of Possibilities?
I’d like to add my thoughts on skeptics, as I’m often called one, not really being able to discern between those that doubts every new idea, and those that doubtfully seek potential faults in order to try to eliminate them beforehand.
I have a tendency to spot minor details that people around me usually miss, or neglect. These details often make things appear worse or less feasible (than to others). I am constantly being told to be awfully skeptic or negativistic. But I really don’t see myself that way. I sense small details others usually miss. Warn others about details that have the potential to drive things south. Wanting to help them with their projects, problems, etc., but I’m often stopped as too skeptic, pessimistic, negativistic. Does wishing well for some project make one skeptic? Does wanting to spot and eliminate potential obstacles so that project can succeed make one negativistic?
The Art of Asking “What If”
– LOL, I just wrote an article yesterday titled “What If”. You’re welcome to check and comment.
“When something is not breaking the laws of physics or won’t in the future, why would you be sceptical about it?” In your context – absolutely, we need to support visionaries, not ridicule them. But in my context, when it comes to ‘things taking longer to achieve’ than necessary, I see it slightly different. What if the planned vision missed some minor details? Visionaries tend to miss a detail now and then. What if you had an opportunity to identify these and eliminate potential setbacks? Would you not want to do all that it takes to make it right? Or better, less consuming? I’m a big fan of optimizing, innovating and consequently not too fond of ‘things taking longer to achieve’ than necessary. Especially when it comes to all kinds of waste (time, by-products, defects, processing,...). I do like to believe that nothing is impossible. Visionaries share the same beliefs, but they don’t make things work by themselves. What they do have, are brilliant ideas that change the world. But these ideas need more people to be put into matter. Perhaps someone (skeptic?) who can help steer those ideas through 'muddy waters'.
Here’s to the crazy ones - people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do! ;)
I think what you do (finding faults in the system and stuff like that) cannot be called skepticism. I think it is called "having an eye for detail" and using that to make sure things work right. Skepticism (for me at least) is being dismissive of an idea, mostly without even going through all aspects of it (which is what usually happens).
Even if the what ifs are being asked in a somewhat negative context, I say, we should still ask the what ifs. Because, only after that do we begin looking for further answers.
'Having an eye for details' and 'finding faults in the system' are well described, but unfortunately majority of people generalize that (wrongly) as one being skeptic - with a specifically negative tone. While also cultivating negative tendencies towards that for various reasons:
-they don't have an open mind and can't stand criticism (especially over their own ideas);
-they don't see the details and the path to where those details potentially lead (it takes one to know one - it's hard to explain to someone that doesn't see or understand it);
-majority aspires towards putting in least possible effort as possible to some idea, especially some product;
-...
I fully agree, 'what ifs' and 'whys' are one of most important questions, often eye-opening and leading to invention, innovation, development, progress. It's all about stepping out of one's comfort zone and taking life (and future) in own hands.