INSURANCE
Interesting: belief, n, rationality not an issue; believe, v, the tool is rationality.
Insurance is an excellent study in the workings of rationality and belief. Insurance is something that comforts our fears (beliefs and half-truths), until we actually use it (when all its disclaimers, exceptions and deductibles go into effect; plus the loss of all the premiums paid). Fears of loss cause the overemphasis of risks, and no actuarial table is used to calculate probabilities. Statistics are completely disregarded. Believe me, actual risk and actual loss amounts are more than paid for by premiums assessed.
Also never considered is the investing of the monthly premium to produce some return, and putting the fund aside, untouchable except in the event of a loss; and the compounding of the principal.

Superstition, prejudice and their negative off shoots always seem to be with us in greater or lesser degree. Social evolution, like other forms, moves slowly and occasionally regresses when some crackpot or other asserts that he/she has discovered the next big thing: someone will buy into the scheme and someone else will follow. This is classic human behavior and has led us to some pretty wild beliefs. I won't mention any of those by name because libel/slander issues would be of no help.
Yes, we are pretty smart---getting smarter by most accounts. But there have always been those dark places in the human mind and crackpots to nuture them. For all of our progress and accumulation of knowledge, we still retain that reptilian brain which behavior science talks about. I suppose it is both blessing and curse.

After the light comes the dark,
And after the dark the light,
Surely One knows One from the other,
As truly as One knows One is Oneself.
=
MJA

When One builds his castle out of beliefs
It is make-believe;
And when built with truth
Absolute.
=
MJA

The power of some beliefs can only stand if others believe in them, like currency. Only if I believe that the paper in my hand is worth something will it have power for others. I wonder if and how this must be rooted somewhere else, like a gold standard. If we all used imaginary money instead of "real" money, where would the system break down and why?

The reason why falsehood are rife is because we have lost a sense of absoluteness. We have a culture of relativism. Anything and its opposite can be debated, justified and portrayed as 'true'. What I have noticed as I have gotten older, is that if the truth cannot be twisted. Then people with an agenda simply lie. Look at all the 9/11 conspiracy theories as a case in point.

Liked Mr. Savinar's analogy. I have always considered insurance to be a form of usury or perhaps more bluntly stated: legalized extortion. Society believes it must protect itself from the irresponsible among its participants. This is a government-sanctioned business that is worth billions and costs billions. Does the fact that we believe in insurance make it rational? No, not really. But don't try to live without insurance unless you plan to live alone and far away from all of those who have it. And good luck with that---you will need it.

There is some guy (or gal?) out there who is talking about something he/she calls the historionic effect. What the hell is that? And if it is different from anything accepted as philosophy, why hasn't anyone tried to contact him/her? I keep seeing this reference popping up on blogs I read and enjoy. Many philosophers have been laughed at, derided, and/or ultimately discredited. So, who is this, uh, maverick? What are established practitioners making of the inuendo, and if nothing, why? I have been reading other chatter on the www. It is getting interesting, so, what do YOU think?

I think age-old beliefs are rooted in us as we grow up. Our parents and the society cast such big influences in us that sometimes it's hard to get away from such thinking.
The only way to get away from such "social structures" is to have an open mind, which isn't easy. But by educating our kids, I think we can head in a right direction.