Anthony Storr, in Feet of Clay postulates that problems are solved through revelation and delusion. Ideas, epiphanies lead to solutions. Rewriting history of a society of of oneself is another way to take problems- old and new- off the table. We are the stories we tell. Truthful, factual, or otherwise. The more we tell them, the more true they become, usually solving a number of problems along the way.
Storr makes another interesting point.
Artists and scientists realize solutions via revelation or delusion are temporary. With each solution comes an new opportunity for revelation or story telling.
Religious types, he says see solutions as being final.
Religion embraces man's tendency to have control over his condition.
Sometimes you might see my revelation as a delusion.
Maybe your delusion is occasionally a revelation for me.
Our best bet is for problem solving then is to see both of these conditions (and other combinations of you and me and our revelations and delusions) as temporary rather than permanent conditions.
Otherwise, the only way for us to go is to completely write each other off for good.
And that, of course, doesn't solve anything.
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