Descartes and Methodological Skepticism

In our everyday lives we use 'methodological skepticism', the question is whether or not we accept our findings or we choose to remain blissfully ignorant. One innate condition about human beings is the fear to change. No matter how many times we go through life experiences that can serve as a teaching tool to show that change is not the equivalent to a negative outcome; we still fear it and above all else avoid it. I believe that the more attached we are to a certain situation and/or person the harder it becomes to see reality objectively. 

Being in the denial is a common coping strategy that we employ and even when we can no longer deny the truth of reality it becomes easier to build a different reality in our minds. For some people this becomes the only way in which they are able to face their lives day to day, others employ it when it is the most convenient, but there are also those who get so exhausted that they finally begin to question their reality. The problem with the latter is that they can become so jaded that from that point on they will begin to question absolutely everything.

 On the other hand, there are those individuals that are naturally skeptics. They question absolutely everything they are being told, everything they experience at a given point and even those around them. It is hard to persuade them and to do so, one has to be able to present facts being doubt. These type of individuals employ Descartes' method to not only reach conclusions but also to lead their lives. Some would argue that this is an exhausting way of living, moreover, they would say that these type of people have "trust issues". 

I would argue that employing a certain amount of "methodological skepticism" in our everyday lives is not only healthy but also necessary. It is the best way to reassure ourselves that we have a clear sense of what our reality is. Also, by employing this method we can avoid being manipulated by those who seek to control those whom they might deem as "weak". The key, in my opinion, is to find balance between Descartes' method and taking things for what they are. One can not deny that there are certain things in our daily lives that do not have a clear answer, they just simply are.