This weekend I decided to return to my ‘Versus’ single-panel comics series, which are meant to provide a light-hearted satirical comment on the ‘paranormal’ scene, of which I’ve been both an observer and a member for many years, thanks to my involvement with The Daily Grail.
This one had been sitting on the back of my head for quite a while: The Skeptic VS The Believer.
Maybe the reason I hesitated on creating this one was that I didn’t want it to be too ‘one-sided’. I’m certainly not a fan of the so-called ‘skeptical’ movement, since it tends to be too snarky in their contempt for what they perceive to be attacks against Logic and Reason (to which they perceive themselves to be their champions). But at the same time, I realize that as I’ve grown older I myself have become more skeptic about many of the things I took for granted when I was younger and more gullible, like my doe-eyed believer on the right.
…And yet, I highly suspect the believer (who still looks up to the sky in wonder) has probably a more joyous and meaningful life than the cranky skeptic, burdened with the weight of complete certainty and living in a world devoid of magic.
So maybe the lesson here is to find a balance between the two sides: Be skeptical of extraordinary claims, but without losing that twinkle in the eye and the sense of wonder.
