Is Skepticism Negative?

When I seriously embraced skepticism I was asked, “Why do you want to upset people?” or “You’re just spoiling for a fight, aren’t you?” My answer to both of these questions are, I don’t and No, respectively.

To me skepticism is simply that for an idea to be valid, it must be supported by evidence. I can’t understand why this simple idea can be so threatening to some, I have a hunch, but I’ll get to that in a bit. Skepticism means absolutely everything is up for debate and the only thing that validates any idea is the evidence. If the evidence doesn’t support an idea, however attractive it may be, it gets discarded and it’s back to the drawing board. Skepticism is the reason that knowledge advances, because it’s skepticism that’s at the heart of the scientific method.

Asking questions should never cause someone to become upset or angry. If you truly believe an idea has merit, you should welcome any questions. Unless of course, you think the evidence may not be there to support your idea, and for whatever reason, comfort, familiarity etc. you don’t want to let it go.

But ultimately, unless questions are asked, and evidence demanded of those providing the answers, knowledge will never be able to advance. Skepticism isn't negative, but rather a force for positive change, a force that can be summed up in two simple words, Prove It.