The Single Most Powerful Force

I think that the single most powerful force of human existence is belief.

Belief can compel action, it can fuel emotion, it can instill fear and elicit joy.  Belief spans across cultures, and gives commonality to enemies.  Belief divides friendships and conquers entire nations.

Love is pale in comparison.  Although love is powerful as well, and can compel action or fuel emotion, it is not nearly as potent as belief.


Belief is so powerful, it can influence reality.  An anorexic person can look in the mirror and see fat where an emaciated body stands - belief deceives their eyes.

Well, love can decieve the eyes too.  One can fail to see the flaws in another, blinded by the light of love.  But love can transform itself into other emotions.  It's fluid in a way that belief is not.  Love can be passive, assertive, shy, aggressive.  Belief is always strongly held and firmly grasped.  Belief does not transform, it only evolves or submits to a superior belief.  It becomes understood differently but still retains its shape and form.

One who has a belief can ignore many who oppose it.  One small, quiet belief is more powerful than an army of love for that one small, quiet belief can grow to outlandish proportion and consume that army, bend it to its Will.

Love is powerful, yes.  But belief is stronger.  Belief can prompt action one might never otherwise consider.  If I believe I'm in danger, I will respond with force even though I'm not a violent person.  If I believe I'm right I will argue with you to the end to time, even if that argument ruins our friendship.  If I believe I have a better way, then I will ignore your way because in my belief system, your way has no room to breathe.

Love is more forgiving.  If I love you, I may worry that the argument I'm engaged in will have damaging consequences and I won't argue as strongly.  My belief does not weaken or fade, it is merely outranked by a superior belief that our relationship is more important and since I desire peace with the one I love, I place more importance on that peace.

Yes the single most powerful force of human existence is belief.  But it is not infallable.

The problem is, its weakness is its strength.  It is too strong to sway or convince.  It is too righteous to realize when its wrong.  It is too self-absorbed to seek the opinions of others.  Belief is too strong for its own good.  Like a spoiled child who refuses to accept "no" from its parent and will take any action necessary for as long as is necessary to change that "no" to a "yes."  Belief wants what it wants when it wants it.

Belief does not like to be kept waiting.

The beauty of belief is that it can lead to the accomplishments that advance society.  Scientists, educators, innovators, politicians, artists, religious leaders, humanitarians, business leaders all shared a common denominator.  The impetus that forged the breakthroughs and advancements we benefit from in our daily lives was belief.  

Our ability to establish a belief system distinguishes us from other forms of life.  It is a great responsibity to wield the power of belief.