If some are struggling, typically for emotional reasons, to accept how reality seems to them isn't how it actually is, I'll throw this abstract from very recent studies to add some more substance.

Deeply Rational Reasons for Irrational Beliefs

Michael Barlev *

Department of Psychology

Arizona State University

Steven L. Neuberg

Department of Psychology

Arizona State University

Abstract (176).

Why do people hold irrational beliefs? Two accounts predominate. The first

spotlights the information ecosystem and how people process this information; this account

either casts those who hold irrational beliefs as cognitively deficient or focuses on the reasoning

and decision-making heuristics all people use. The second account spotlights an inwardly-

oriented and proximate motivation people have to enhance how they think and feel about

themselves. Here, we advance a complementary, outwardly-oriented, and more ultimate account

—that people often hold irrational beliefs for evolutionarily rational reasons. Under this view,

irrational beliefs may serve as rare and valued information with which to rise in prestige, as

signals of group commitment and loyalty tests, as ammunition with which to derogate rivals in

the eyes of third-parties, or as outrages with which to mobilize the group toward shared goals.

Thus, although many beliefs may be epistemically irrational, they may also be evolutionarily

rational from the perspective of the functions they are adapted to serve. We discuss the

implications of this view for puzzling theoretical phenomena and for changing problematic

irrational beliefs

https://psyarxiv.com/avcq2. The link

Ultimately, they are 'discovering' what should be pretty obvious - our rational mind evolved much later to better serve the objectives of our instincts by increasing the level of sophistication available to achieve those innate motivations, but is subservient to them. That the authors separate 'inwardly' motivations from 'outwardly' motivations, implying that the base motivational forces of the two are different, seems to spring from a truncated model. For example, while there is obviously rational survival and reproductive reasons for the desire for prestige/status to exist within social primates such as us, the actual source of the motivation isn't rationally driven. Of course it's emotional, it's how we're hardwired, and while it's adaptive to our ancestral realities, it's much less so today. The base motivation for status is obviously also pleasure and pain, so also 'inwardly'. Just as we reproduce via particular sexual activity, the vast bulk of sexual activity is initiated because it's pleasurable; that's the motivation that initiates the process. Sex evolved to be pleasurable, so we'd be motivated to do it; if it wasn't pleasurable or if it was painful for us humans, we wouldn't be here - obviously.

The spring of pleasure and pain flows into many rivers and streams, but the source is the same, even if it doesn't initially appear so, and the intentions of that spring are the same - to guide our actions into activities that aid our survival and ability to reproduce. Ultimately, it's not even about us, we're just the wrapping for the DNA we carry, similar to how the pulp of a peach exists to serve the pip. Sure, we go about it in a much more sophisticated manner than a peach does, which camoflages the intention, but at base, all life is the same, and once we get to the animal level of sophistication, behaviour is determined via the poles of pleasure and pain. For example, we feel pain from injuries, therefore we make an effort to avoid being injured and the pain also motivate us to repair the injury and so escape the pain. Enduring romantic love is perhaps the most highly valued pleasurable feeling humans seek, especially among females, because of how great/pleasurable it feels and because if one can obtain that feeling 'forever' then that adds up to a massive quantity of quality pleasure we get to experience for the rest of our lives. Of course it's valued so highly, but at base it's just pleasure, and at base, we love the feeling/s, not the person.

Obviously, many recoil from this as it's not noble enough for their existing tastes - it threatens their sense of status (decreases their pleasure) so we humans are collectively motivated to pretend it's otherwise. This motivation to look away is completely normal given we're motivated by pleasure and pain, so our emotions naturally instruct our brain to believe what feels better to believe.

Again, as it's all beliefs anyway, all just recipes, as no one has the truth and so we're all inevitably wrong to some degree or another, it doesn't matter what our beliefs/recipes are if they deliver an enduring taste that is pleasurable - if our recipe/beliefs deliver the experience we call happiness. But if we're struggling to experience happiness, then we have to take ourselves to a different, better reality. To do so, we need to be orientated, otherwise how do we know what direction to take ourselves?

By understanding ourselves and the context within which we exist, including what our core emotions/ wants actually are, we know what we're actually wrestling with, and can stop wrestling ourselves. We accept ourselves, celebrate that we have this life adventure to play with and experience and we realise that there's many rivers and streams from which we can select to dive into. But to swim in the most desirable ones, we need get out of and climb above the swamps. Perhaps Buddha took himself all the way to the source spring before he stopped climbing and relaxed. Maybe, but he was exceptional, he had exceptional motivations and abilities. The likes of me and you don't have to climb anywhere near as high, as we'll find our beautiful little niche long before then. But, but the point is to head towards where Buddha beckoned, and away from the swamp. Understand this, do this and the rest just happens as the landscape will change for the better as you leave the lowlands. Plus, a big positive change is happening within as you're weeding your inner garden, and in that freed-up space, you're planting fruitful seeds.

We cannot experience joy if we lack the capacity. If our 'cup' is full of trash, joy cannot enter, and even if there's space for it, it struggles to be experienced, and thus appreciated, given all the ugly flavours it's mixing with. It's screamingly obvious that we need to empty out as much of the randomly accumulated trash as we can first. Do that, and the rest becomes very easy, as joy and love can now enter, and we have the capacity to experience them undiluted. Experience the difference, and we now know what is real gold, and what is just fool's gold. Obviously, it's this metamorphosis that both frees us from negative, painful emotions and motivations while simultaneously providing us with a set of fresh, new, delightful positive ones. The hard is now ridiculously easy as our overflowing shopping list of contrary wants has shrunk down to what is very easily obtainable.Go far enough and you'll get to Buddhas reality: ' by doing nothing, I do everything' but, again, that extreme is neither realistic, nor even desirable for the likes of us. Instead, we walk the 'middle path', and we stop and enjoy at the level that fits us comfortably.

Levels: A pyramid has levels, it has different heights. So does a mountain, and it's important to visualize ourselves existing on one level or another and that our level of happiness rises as we climb. While Buddha was at the very top, there's others who have taken themselves to an unusually high level, and one such example I know of is Bruce Springsteen. Born into a struggling working-class family, the path he was deposited on was bleak, but he wanted a much higher quality of life and he knew what 'quality' actually is; it's experiencing happiness, and that, in it's purest form, is swimming in joy. He was able to take himself to the exact reality he sought, and at the age of 73 he's obviously slowed down a lot, but he's still doing concerts around the world. He's still in his version of heaven, singing in front of sold out stadiums, or composing his music while at the same time being in the midst of a loving, happy, and joyful family.

Judged via almost anyones set of values, the guy has had a great life and is hugely successful. I see he just sold the rights to all his songs for 500 million $$, so he must be a billionaire by now and simply by doing what he loves doing. As he said about the 1/2 billion deal;

'I've bumped into the greatest job in the world, because they pay me a fortune for what I would of done for free'.

Of course, the guy is just being modest. He didn't 'bump' into that reality, he took himself there as he knew what he wanted from life, and he knew it all starts from within.

The dogs on Main Street howl, cause they understand

I can take one moment into my hands

Mister, I ain't a boy, no I'm a man

And I believe in a promise land.

The guy knew what he wanted from life, knew what was important, and made it happen. But it didn't happen by accident, of course. It didn't happen by luck. He understood himself and reality very well, so along the way he made a thousand potent decisions and very few impotent, self negating ones and all these steps added up to where we took himself. He was born into a house with no books, long before internet times, but that's ok, he got some books and learnt relevant knowledge. He takes responsibility for his reality, you'll never hear him, in either his lyrics or his words, ever criticise someone else. He'll criticise himself readily, and he's very honest with this, but never other people because he's far above that level. Obviously, others do as they do, it's just morbidly silly to judge others by our own subjective values. They are as they are, if someone is not to our taste, ok cool, don't hang out with them, but hanging out with them and then complaining about them is just stupid. If you didn't know they are as they are, then maybe you don't have enough relevant knowledge about humans, and who's fault is that?

As he's spent his life translating his model of reality - his recipe - into songs, many of his songs are treasure troves of wisdom, and it's wisdom we can trust because we can see the fruits of that model. We can see the guy is incredibly successful, but more importantly, he is humble, joyful, and very happy. He's the real deal, and I was very fortunate to discover this dimension in his music while in my early twenties. It's not that I'm a fan of all his music, as he, like everyone else, has multiple dimensions to his personality, so some of his music is just about having fun, etc. But underneath it all, is an amazing clarity regarding us humans and our struggles. Again, obviously, his theories, his model of reality, the recipe he used is very accurate, as we can see the proof before our eyes.

I think he's had a new album out for about a year, but I haven't even listened to it yet. I will probably one day, but it's not a priority. The value for me was the amazing clarity he's able to express and bring to life through some of his songs, but twenty years after first discovering that treasure trove, I like to think I understand most of it by now. I'm a slow learner, but not that slow, so of course I don't listen to it much these days. Obviously, music is different things to different people and no doubt, there's other musicians who also 'get it', but as I don't really listen to music much anyway, and when I do I stick to what I know I like, I'm not aware of them.

But what's relevant here, returning to levels, is how the higher we go, the more beautiful and easy life becomes. The problems and hurdles that exist on the lower levels, just don't exist higher up - the rat traps are where the rats are...Here's an example of life at the level Springsteen is at.

'I guess if you've got to have a problem, too much money is a good problem to have.'

Cynthia

'you ain't the best thing ,I've never had

and when you go, the pain that remains

well, it ain't so bad.'

Springsteen. 'Cynthia'

This is impressive, as he can put a temptation into context; he knows if he chases the pleasure she represents, he'll spend much of his time chasing something similar, as there's always that temptation present, especially when you're a rockstar. He knows that, at the end of the day, it's all just pleasure and pain, so he's got to be in control of what streams - what flavours - he hunts. It's not about the specific girl, not about what happens, or doesn't happen with her as she's just a part of the environment, a part of the buffet the world offers us. Any attraction comes back to pleasure, but there are many flavours available, and there are different levels - flavours of different quality, and to get the high quality ones, we must walk on by the low-quality ones. Again, it's never about the temptation, not about that particular hurdle, it's much more important than that. It's about if you can jump hurdles or not. If he can't jump that one, it means he can't jump other ones, and if he can't jump hurdles, then how can he get to the oasis he seeks?

and though it don't seem fair

for every smile u make, a tear must fall someplace

The price we pay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXVavijbLBM

He knows what is just weeds, and much of his music revolves around the struggle we all have to differentiate gold from fool's gold and then align our motivations accordingly. The guy found/built his niche, one that fit him snugly after overcoming his struggles within, and his example and recipe, inspires many to do the same for themselves. Ultimately, it's an emptying process, getting rid of the negative or useless beliefs and templates we've had installed by others. It was easier for him as he got out of school while still young, so he wasn't programmed as thoroughly as most. Many do not even realise the path they are on is just one of thousands available, they're so cooked they think it's the only one.

We busted out of class

Had to get away from those fools

We learnt more from a 3 minute record than we ever learnt in school

Tonight, the neighbourhood drummer sounds

I feel my heart begin to pound

u say you're tired

and u just want to follow your dreams down

but we made a promise, we swore to remember

No retreat, no surrender.

Well, now young faces grow sad and old
And hearts of fire grow cold
We swore blood brothers against the wind
Now I'm ready to grow young again

And hear your sister's voice calling us home
Across the open yards
Well maybe we could cut some place of our own
With these drums and these guitars

No surrender

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alorNxGo0FM

His music is always about taking responsibility for our reality.

it's the same thing night after night

who's wrong, baby, Who's right?

Another fight and I slam the door on

another battle in our dirty little war

When I look at myself, I don't see

the man I wanted to be

Somewhere along the line, I slipped off track

caught taking one step forward and two steps back.

Springsteen. 'one step up'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKy-Dxtb6bI

And a great cover by Eddie Vedder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRmoMKMozKg

And a song after his first marriage broke up

Now u play the loving woman

I play the faithful man

but just don't look too close

into the palm of my hand

We stood at the alter

the gypsy swore our future was right

but come the wee wee hours, maybe baby the gypsy lied

so when u look at me

u better look hard and look twice

is that me baby, or just a brilliant disguise?

Now, the bed is cold

lost in the darkness of our love

God have mercy on the man

Who doubts what he's sure of

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idnJnjV_8rg

Springsteen. 'Brilliant disguise'

Taking responsibility and the power of the metamorphosis—'halfway to heaven, yet just a mile out of hell.'

It's a sad man my friend

who's living in his own skin, but can't stand the company

Every fool has a reason to feel sorry for themselves

and turn their heart to stone

Tonight this fool is halfway to heaven, but just a mile out of hell

and I feel like I'm coming home.

These are better days baby, there's better days shining through

'Better days'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFRD_GoZnA0

Springsteen was/is able to choose his own path. He's in control, which is why he's known as 'The Boss'.

Do you still say your prayers little darling, when you go to bed at night
Praying that tomorrow everything will be alright
But tomorrow's fall in number, in number one by one
You wake up and you're dying, you don't even know what from

Well, they shot you point blank
You been shot in the back
You've been fooled this time, little girl, that's a fact
Right between the eyes, baby, point blank
Right between the pretty lies that they tell

Little girl you fell

You grew up where young girls they grow up fast
You took what you were handed and left behind what was asked
But what they asked, wasn't right
You didn't have to live that life

Point blank, right between the eyes
Right between the pretty lies you fell
Point blank, you've been shot right through the heart
Yeah, you've been twisted up till you've become just another part of it
Point blank, They caught you in their sights

Did you forget how to love girl, did you forget how to fight?
Girl, they must have shot you in the head
'Cause bang bang baby, you're dead

'Point blank'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0DjrXDBJnU

Is a dream a lie, if it don't come true

Or is it something worse?

The River.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc6F47Z6PI4&list=RDlc6F47Z6PI4&start_radio=1

The struggle people have to find happiness, is ultimately a struggle within. The lack of inner clarity and misalignment of motivations lead us to become trapped on a path that leads to a barren place. Ultimately, we pay a high price.

You make up your mind, you choose the path you take
You ride to where the highway ends and the desert breaks
Out on to an open road you ride until the day
You learn to sleep at night with the price you pay

Now with their hands held high, they reached out for the open skies
And in one last breath they built the roads they'd ride to their death
Driving on through the night, unable to break away
From the restless pull, ahh the price you pay

You can't walk away from the price you pay

Now they'd come so far and they'd waited so long
Just to end up caught in a dream where everything goes wrong
Where the dark of night holds back the light of the day
You've gotta stand and fight

ahhh, the price you pay, oh, the price you pay
Now you can't walk away from the price you pay

Just across the county line

a stranger passing through put up a sign

that counts those fallen away from the price they pay

But before the end of the day, I'll tear it down and throw it away.

The price you pay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXVavijbLBM

Ultimately, what his example and his music illustrate is the fact that we're all seeking happiness, and that the largest component of that is joy. There are many other enjoyable flavours that we can experience, but none worth having long-term are accessible without being mixed with a significant amount of joy. We may not understand this, and in some cases, joy may never be accessible due to the damage done, but that this is the reality is obvious. Some may say; ' but what about love?' What is love worth without joy, and is joyless love really love anyway?

Without it

you're a drummer girl that can't keep a beat

An icecream truck on a deserted street

hope that it's coming to stay

waiting on a sunny day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SegpSyD5zQ

Again, and I know I repeat myself a lot with this, but it's probably the biggest misunderstanding that our culture generates and perpetuates: the confusion regarding what happiness actually is, but Springsteen is not confused - he understands happiness is an experience. It's something we feel, it's our emotions. Yeah, emotions are invisible so they might not be so obvious, but they exist and are what this life thing is all about. Ultimately, Springsteen knew to hunt that invisible game.