What personality trait in people raises a red flag with you?
I am concerned when someone appears possessed by an ideology. When someone is deeply convinced their worldview is right and the only valid moral stance, they are at risk of using force to achieve compliance from others.
An extreme example from the past is the Spanish Inquisition. Jews were required to convert or be burned at the stake. Thousands died.
Today, ideologues tend to use less extreme measures. When an institution is possessed by an ideology, people can lose their job for believing the wrong thing. People in all walks of life can be subject to being bullied on the internet. Invited speakers can be canceled at universities because they think the “wrong” things.
I still believe in freedom of speech, civil discourse, and being humble about what we think we know.
I am reasonably sure that those who burned others at the stake truly believed they were acting morally.
Be careful.
Peter M. Hartmann, MD
