<p>Are widely held views often wrong, or are such views more likely to be correct?
The ancient Greek saying, know thyself is very powerful statement despite its brevity. In our society, it is very rare to formulate a perspective without taking into account the popularly held views. While ostensibly, commonly held beliefs are the accurate, in reality the majority of them are flawed . Therefore, it is crucial for society to discern the flawed from the correct beliefs, by not only developing, but maintaining our own perspectives through critical reasoning and innovative decisions. </p>
<p>Lets consider the Keynesian economic theory-focused on demand side economics- it was strictly adhered to in America in the 1920s following the Great Depression, as the only right system to offer an economic recuperation, which did not occur. Milton Friedman-,a man who thought for himself, developed a new theory, supply side economics. He went against the status quo and trained ten men in his philosophy, known as the Chicago boys. Following training the boys returned to Chile, where they instilled these measures. Shortly following the implementation of the supply side economic theory, the Chilean Miracle brought about an instant thriving economy, that well surpassed the United States. Thus, through independently reasoning and critical thought, Friedman was able to prove the widely held views of society, incorrect.</p>
<p>Just as Friedman ascertains standard views may be fallacious, so too does Guy Montag in Fahrenheit 451. In the dystopian society portrayed in Ray Bradburys classic novel, society fervently believes that books are dangerous and hold no value- because they are just following the governments opinion that had been instilled in society, rather than independently assessing the situation-and subsequently burns books. Through critical reasoning, Montag gains consciousness of these misdeeds and resolves to saving books, which in turn preserves education. It is evident that Montag beholds the truth and acts accordingly. In a sense, differentiation between what is good and what is bad comes down to awareness and knowledge of the circumstances. </p>
<p>As shown in Friedman and Montags actions and solutions, it can be deduced that widely held views tend to embrace little truth due to the lack of awareness, critical thought, and independent assessment of situations by the majority. It is crucial for us to analyze each situation set before us, and know thyself before making a decision, rather than aimlessly following the herd and accepting popular opinion.</p>