After some consideration the maxim “Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted” is also a tenet of my beliefs. A second tenet of my beliefs, summed up in a word: resonance. What I mean by this is follow your heart. Create your own beliefs. There is no one path for everyone.
Say you have a headache. What do you take? Acetaminophen? Ibuprofen? Willow bark? Lavender oil? You take what works for you. Using the same thought process, I apply that to beliefs.
Have you ever listened to the radio and a new song comes on and it just hits you and you find yourself really liking it? It resonated with you. Ever listened to a song while in a different mood and you hear something different about it? Maybe you weren’t a fan, but something about the rhythm and your mood sync up. Or maybe you’ve always liked the song, but are actually paying attention to the lyrics and find a new deeper appreciation? Resonance.
I know I’ve read an article or watched a Youtube video and connected with the message. Sometimes I start to realize something on my mind is happening more and more around me, like thinking about purpose and then seeing an episode of The Office where Michael is contemplating his path. That’s not to say it couldn’t be coincidence or my brain priming the thought of purpose in my head and so I see it or make that connection.
In some religions, this could also be referred to as God working in mysterious ways. Maybe giving us a sign. Or it’s the fabric of fate. I feel we instinctively know what we want and need in life and are drawn to that. Like fate or God guiding us to our next chapter in life.
This tenet actually creates a bit of a paradox. If no one bothered telling anyone how to live their life, then where would influences come from that help us form them? For example, most artists are great due to trauma or adversity. If they didn’t have this, would their work be the same? So we need, and there will likely always be, people who push their ideas and beliefs and those who respect others’ ideas and beliefs.
The main takeaway for me is that what’s right for everyone else may not be right for you and vice versa. To me, this applies to everything in life. Religion. Politics. Medicine. Parenting. Purpose. I believe all these things are to be determined by us individually.