Perennialism

In today’s world, the internet contains so much information, it can make anything seem true. So, where can we turn for reliable answers?

This site focuses on helping people reclaim their agency by improving critical thinking skills. But at its foundation lies science—yet if much of science, even meta-analyses, is tainted by commercial bias, does it all become futile?

This is where Perennialism offers a perspective. Perennialism suggests that if an idea is true, it will have stood the test of time, surviving in the marketplace of ideas for centuries. At its core, perennialism values enduring truths—concepts that have persisted because their fundamental premises were sound. By examining timeless aphorisms and ideas that have persisted through history, we may uncover universal truths that continue to resonate.

Aphorisms

An aphorism is a brief, memorable saying that expresses a general truth or principle.

• “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Bias: Attentional Bias – The tendency to focus on what is most readily available or familiar while ignoring alternative possibilities.
• “The first impression is the last impression.” Bias: Anchoring Bias – Over-relying on the first piece of information encountered when making decisions.
• “Birds of a feather flock together.” Bias: In-Group Bias – The tendency to favor those who are similar or part of the same group as oneself.
• “What is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular.” Bias: Bandwagon Effect – Adopting beliefs or behaviors simply because many others do.
• “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Bias: Fading Affect Bias – The tendency to remember positive experiences more vividly than negative ones over time.
• “It worked last time, so it must work this time.” Bias: Recency Bias – Giving undue weight to recent events when making decisions.
• “A lie told often enough becomes the truth.” Bias: Illusory Truth Effect – Believing false information to be true simply because it’s repeated.
• “Hindsight is always 20/20.” Bias: Hindsight Bias – The tendency to see past events as predictable after they have already happened.
• “The grass is always greener on the other side.” Bias: Contrast Effect – Perceiving things as better or worse depending on what they are compared to.
• “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Bias: Halo Effect – Allowing an overall impression (positive or negative) to influence judgments about unrelated aspects.