I love this; I talk sometimes about how believing in cryptids is a very specific optimism that refutes Western, enlightenment objectivity and prioritizes believing communities about their own realities— I’ve never seen Bigfoot, but if my neighbors believe in Bigfoot I can at least honor their experience/knowledge by believing in the possibility of Bigfoot. And why not? The world isn’t hurt, and maybe is even better/more earnest because I believe the Loch Ness monster could be out there
Kurt Vonnegut has this thing in his books Sirens of Titan called a “chronosynclastic infundibulum“ which is basically that all truths converge at a point and I love that
Everyone I’ve met who thinks they know what’s going ends up wrong or suffering. Accepting that you don’t know what’s going on can be very helpful and freeing.
The way that, absolutely, when I know something in my bones to be true, I will find data all around me to support my narrative. I will willfully ignore anything that might contradict my belief. I personally think it’s fine.
I play this 12 hours of applause when painting or writing it helps me feel encouraged. Nobody applauds at an art show which has always been a bummer to me