We all have beliefs.
Some we developed ourselves. Some we inherited from our parents, our education, the culture we grew up in.
We take many things we hear or learn as facts. As truth. We accept them without questioning.
But history keeps showing us something uncomfortable: many of our “truths” aren’t true at all. The more we understand the world, the more we explore different cultures, the more we debunk what we once took for granted.
Here’s a list. Make of it what you will.
Humans were confidently wrong about these for centuries:
Earth is flat
Earth is the center of the universe
The sun rotates around Earth
Our galaxy is the entire universe
Stars are tiny lights stuck on a dome above Earth
We cannot go to space
Flying is impossible
Continents are fixed in place
Earthquakes happen because giant creatures move underground
Lightning, floods, and storms are caused by angry gods
Humans are too heavy to swim
Left-handedness or birthmarks are signs of witchcraft
Burning women alive for witchcraft was justice
Kings are chosen by gods to rule
Aliens built the pyramids
We were SURE about these... until very recently:
Smoking is harmless (doctors even recommended it)
The internet is just a fad
Plastic is a miracle material with no downsides
We’ll never have computers in our pockets
AI/computers will never be as intelligent as humans
Earth’s resources are infinite
The world would end in the year 2000 (Y2K)
People couldn’t live past 40–50
Death happens when breathing stops
Once your heart stops, you’re dead
Renting is throwing money out the window
We think these are “normal” or “true”... but only in our western culture:
Eating with cutlery instead of your hands
Blowing your nose is polite, sniffing is rude (opposite in many Asian countries)
Slurping your food is bad manners (in Japan, it shows appreciation)
Monogamy is the natural way (many cultures practice polygamy)
Eye contact shows confidence and honesty (in many Asian, African, and Indigenous cultures, it’s aggressive or disrespectful)
You choose who you marry (arranged marriages are still the norm in much of the world)
So here’s my question for you:
What are the truths - about the world, your life, or even yourself - that you’re not challenging... that could end up not being true?