I am an analytical chemist with a general interest in finding things out. I have a particular interest in the unorthodox viewpoint.

It is not uncommon these days to hear talk of a consensus opinion. Those not holding this opinion are sometimes referred to as deniers. The implication of this is that the consensus opinion is not merely the opinion held by the majority of people, but is also the truth.

We have of course been here before. There was a time when the consensus opinion was that the earth was flat and at the centre of the universe, with the sun and stars revolving around it. Those who disagreed, then called heretics, were condemned for their beliefs. It is only because a few people stubbornly refused to accept the consensus that we now know that the earth is spheroid and revolves around a star which is at the outer edge of a galaxy that is one of many and is far from the centre of the universe.

The flat earth consensus existed long after it should have done because it was convenient for those in power. And so it is today with the consensus opinions of our time. The consensus opinion is a tool of politicians. It also inevitably leads to some people making a lot of money. The individual, however, is best served by understanding what is true. This knowledge can be gained only by listening to all viewpoints, including the unorthodox ones. The individual can then form his or her own opinion by asking the questions: Does this make sense? Does this fit my own observations about the real world?