Thanks for the shout out, Andrew. :)

I like this format. It almost felt like we were hanging out in the park, discussing philosophy.

I also like the idea that we tell ourselves stories to determine our own understanding of reality. I'd love to see you do a detailed post on epistemology. That, to me, is the core of why some people believe stories (even provably false ones). They have weak epistemologies; poor mechanisms for justified belief. Some use an epistemology based on tea-leaf reading, astrology, eye-witness testimony, or personal experience. Others on religion. Still others on reason, logic, empirical evidence, and skepticism.

Ultimately, though, I think very few "choose" their epistemologies. They just have them. They are an unobserved foundation of our perceptions and conclusions.

I hope we can all craft better stories and not dogmatically hold to them as our tools of measurement improve to gain even more accurate information.

You can't observe your own mind indeed... but we can observe the conclusions and results of those conclusions.