Perennialism

In today’s world, the internet is overflowing with information—so much so that nearly anything can be made to seem true. So where do we turn for reliable answers?

This site is dedicated to helping people reclaim their agency by offering tools to strengthen critical thinking. At its core is a commitment to science—but what happens when even science, including meta-analyses, is compromised by commercial bias? Does the pursuit of truth become futile?

This is where Perennialism offers a grounding perspective. Perennialism holds that if an idea is truly valid, it will stand the test of time—surviving centuries of scrutiny in the marketplace of ideas. It values enduring truths: ideas that persist not by accident, but because their foundations are sound. By reflecting on timeless wisdom and aphorisms that have endured across cultures and generations, we may uncover insights that still hold meaning today.

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.” This saying, like the many others listed below highlight a specific Cognitive Bias, in this case Attention Bias – which is 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: Groupthink – 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.
• “It worked last time, so it must work this time.” Bias: Availability Bias – Giving undue weight to recent events when making decisions.
• “Hindsight is always 20/20.” Bias: Hindsight Bias – The tendency to see past events as predictable after they have already happened.
• “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Bias: Halo Effect – Allowing an overall impression (positive or negative) to influence judgments about unrelated aspects.