The Industrial Revolution of 1760 had lasting effects that shaped the world we know today. One of many byproducts of the Revolution is the development of media, through print, television, radio, and even social media. Not only have we become more globalized as a collective, but also more socially aware of the happenings worldwide, among countless other advantages. But this is not to discount one of the major repercussions of an intensely interconnected society, a phenomenon coined “doom-scrolling.” According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, doom-scrolling is the “tendency to continue to surf or scroll through bad news, even though that news is saddening, disheartening, or depressing.” According to Angela Watercutter, a senior editor at WIRED, the negative repercussions caused by doom-scrolling include anxiety, depression, and a general sense of doom. The media business profits from interaction and shock value, with writers competing with one another to see who can churn out the most dramatic and eye-catching headlines. That, coupled with the fact that the news is a never-ending, 24/7 cycle, being constantly fed headlines that depict the unimaginable will undoubtedly take a toll on anyone. Thus, it leads us to the following research question: To what extent is it necessary for humans to have guiding principles in today’s precarious society? The purpose of this paper is to establish that guiding principles may not be mandatory to lead a fulfilling life, but they do have the ability to enhance and perhaps better an individual’s experiences, trials, and tribulations.
The world is in a state of constant change, which can be and is difficult to navigate at any stage of life: enter guiding principles. For the purposes of this paper, guiding principles are religion and maxims. Religion, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices as well as the service and worship of God or the supernatural.” As stated by the Pew Research Center, in 2010, 5.8 out of 6.9 billion people worldwide identified as religious, with people worshiping different deities and higher powers to varying degrees, each for their own individual reasons. There are countless motivations for practicing religion, both extrinsic and intrinsic. Individuals may choose to practice religion to feel a sense of belonging within a religious community, while some may choose to practice faith purely for the sake of practicing. No matter the reasons for being religious, there are demonstrated benefits to believing in a higher power. Faith can contribute to your sense of self and provide guidance and direction in times of need. One aspect of the human condition is the idea of an external versus an internal locus of control. An external locus of control is the thought that you have no control over what happens to you, while an internal locus of control is the idea that you do indeed have control over what happens to you. In a study done by Yasmin Iles-Caven and associates, they found that those who regularly attended their place of worship had more of an internal locus of control, with that perspective only increasing with the amount of time they spent in their place of worship. They had the belief that they were able to ask their higher power for guidance in times of need, while those that did not feel like they were able to seek guidance were found to be more external. This suggests that the religious individual who is willing and believes they are able to pursue guidance has a better sense of control in relation to their environment. But this does not necessarily mean that those who are not religious have no sense of control, however, it could possibly indicate that they may feel more hopeless in trying times as they are not able to seek direction from an unbiased source, who would have their best interests at heart. A sense of control is not the only gain that comes from belief. Sandra Feder, writer and editor in humanities and sciences at Stanford University, discusses the ideas of anthropologist Tanya Lurhmann and her book How God Becomes Real: Rekindling the Presence of Invisible Others. Lurhmann’s main claim is that religion and an individual’s relationship with God resemble any other social relationship one may have with friends and family and she details the benefits of having such a relationship.
“…religious involvement with God is better for your body in terms of immune functions and reducing loneliness. One explanation for this, Luhrmann writes, is that for those with an intense faith, God becomes a social relationship. MRI results indicate that in terms of brain function, talking to God resembles conversing with a friend.”
Not only is faith helpful in offering direction and assistance, but it also has been found to increase calmness through ritual. Richard Davidson, a psychologist at the University of Wisconsin, found that practices like prayer and meditation have the ability to alter the wiring of the brain. Through fMRI and EEG imaging, Davidson identified that Buddhist monks had a better and more well-organized attention system compared to someone who does not meditate. He concluded that “in essence, meditation — and perhaps any contemplative spiritual practice — enhances attention and turns off the areas of the brain that focus on the self.” Further studies done by University of Toronto psychologist, Michael Inzlicht, showed that those with a stronger faith in God are “ calmer and more graceful under pressure.” This finding of Inzlicht helped develop the following theory:
“Having spiritual beliefs might also lead to enjoying a longer, healthier life. A large body of research finds that religious people live longer, are less prone to depression, are less likely to abuse alcohol and drugs, and even go to the dentist more often”
Not only are faith practitioners more likely to live a longer healthier life, but they are believed to be more morally just, with University of British Columbia researcher Joseph Henrich claiming that those who participate in religion are fairer to others while playing an economic game than non-participants. Henrich stated that “Religion, in a sense, outsources social monitoring to a supernatural agent..If you believe in a monitoring God, even if no one is watching you, you still have to be pro-social because God is watching you.” To summarize, the benefits of following a religion include a better sense of control in relation to the environment, reduced sense of loneliness and improved immune functions, enhanced attention and increased calmness, and a better sense of morality.
Religion has also been known to unite and create communities. In an article on the American Psychological Association webpage, written by assistant editor Beth Azar, Azar details the thoughts and opinions of psychologists on religion, and how it is continually practiced globally. Psychologists are of the belief that “[r]eligion has survived . . . because it helped us form increasingly larger social groups, held together by common beliefs.” This idea rings true in many different contexts. A study was conducted by Ebonie Cunningham Stringer, an assistant professor of criminal justice, at Pennsylvania State, on incarcerated African American mothers and how they used religion to cope. Stringer found that inmates were inclined to be religious as they viewed it as a win-win situation. As the argument goes, by accepting God and faith into their lives, not only did they gain the love, acceptance and forgiveness of God, but a sense of community. Stringer reports that “incarcerated persons may participate in religious programs to access resources such as special favors, books and food items that are not available to other residents.” By participating in these programs, inmates not only gained access to items not available to others, but they were able to develop connections to both other inmates and the programs themselves, both of which will help them upon their release. Community is a large aspect of religion. It is what may draw people to practice it in the first place, to have others that share the same ideals as you. A religious community also likely comes with social support, churches have been known to fundraise for either members of the church, charities, or those in need. Social support can also come in the form of guidance from a member of the clergy. Practices like confession, a ritual in which a person will anonymously confess their sins to a member of the clergy and then the clergyperson will offer advice or ways to reconcile their sins. Having someone of the same values offer you advice or rid you of something that is causing you guilt can be helpful, possibly more than someone who does not possess same values doing the same thing.
While religion is beneficial in numerous ways, some view it as being restrictive with all of its ‘commandments’ and such. It could be said that maxims are the less restrictive version of religion. A maxim as defined by Merriam-Webster is “a general truth, fundamental principle, or rule of conduct”. An example of a set of maxims is found in The Meditations of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Book IV. In the version translated by George W. Chrystal, there can be a couple of main ideas concluded from the 51 maxims. The former Roman emperor discusses a lot about mortality, and how life is fleeting and death is inevitable, while also stating that one should live their life to the fullest while staying true to oneself. This text and ones similar can serve as guiding principles. For instance, maxim 42 by Aurelius states: “There is no evil for things which subsist in change; and there can be no good for things which subsist without it”. This can be interpreted in a variety of ways, however generally this could provide comfort for an individual navigating changes, knowing that change is inevitable and leads to good things. Maxim 42 along with the other 50 have been quite impactful worldwide since they were first recorded during the reign of the Roman Empire. They have since been translated numerous times into many different languages for all to enjoy. Other more well-renowned maxims include works written by the likes of Nietzsche, Confucius, and Kant, to name a few. Maxims are open to more interpretation, and any individual could apply them to their lived experience. Having something external to turn to in times of need as a point of reference is extremely helpful; they provide direction and purpose, and may even serve as a moral compass. Following maxims could lead to a reinforced moral compass that allows individuals to make just and rational decisions. Adopting them for use in daily life is a valuable asset that can be used to navigate the difficulties of life today.
Of course, religion is a very broad and highly debated topic and has been for centuries. Some prefer to abstain from religion and claim that their internal set of beliefs, or their internal moral compass, is enough. This belief is easier to maintain especially in times of satisfaction; for example, one achieves a given task without external help, all because of their belief in themself. The religious skeptic may think: “If I am able to rely on myself and persevere, then what need is there for religion?” Having no guiding principles facilitates the need to have stable self-belief, even through the toughest of times. Religion may be a helpful tool for those who are not able to maintain a stable self-belief, an extremely difficult task, in trying times. When people fail at a given task, their instinctive reaction is to either blame themselves or others. For those that are religious, when they fail, instead of viewing it as a single being’s fault, they may instead choose to view it as their higher power’s doing and part of their plan for them. This is advantageous because it allows the person to not dwell on the failure for too long as they have an external locus of control, and that might help with both their faith and keeping the hope that things will turn out okay, without suffering too much damage to their self esteem or confidence.
This paper has demonstrated how religion and maxims are beneficial in today’s world—where uncertainty is the only certain thing. Religion offers a better sense of control in relation to the environment, a reduced sense of loneliness, improved immune functions, enhanced attention, increased calmness, and an increased sense of morality. Maxims offer a sense of stability that is more personal and less restrictive than religion. This matters as in today’s society, rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses are only rising, along with general feelings of stress and panic. Religion and maxims can offer comfort and guidance, a lifeline in the vast ocean that is our existence.