Most people don’t like their views challenged. New ideas can be incredibly painful as they challenge our identities and deepest held beliefs. There are many times when people express opinions or present facts, and I immediately want to reject them. One should not reject those facts, but try to listen and see if they actually make sense.

At age 26, many of my views on the world are changing. I grew up in a different generation then many of you, so my experiences are different. I believe it is important to challenge other people’s beliefs, and try to point out the hypocrisy of them. I wish more people would dare to counter the popular wisdom of their clan. Our society needs more heretics willing to challenge the conventional wisdom.

For daring to challenge some of you, I will be branded a traitor. I will be said to be taking the corporate line, or taking the position of the elite. Yet, regardless of where we all stand, shouldn’t be challenging our own views? Certainly many of the views of the progressive community are passed down from the liberal elite, those liberal economists from Yale and Harvard and liberals in the highest level of government.

I don’t believe we should necessarily believe what some professor from Harvard or Yale tells us is right. We have to observe the world ourselves, and not be afraid to ask the hard questions. We should always have a lot of doubt how the world is, and not be afraid to the challenge our clans. I don’t always believe everything I say, but sometimes it is so important to inject new ideas into a discussion.