PKD on the power of words (with an example)

Btw, I was reminded of this quote by the comic strip about this person's nervous breakdown.

It made me think of the following, requoted:

I suppose it's an interesting commentary on the nature of belief, especially in today’s complicated world. As in-- once you lock in a belief, you have to reconcile it with your other beliefs, plus whatever actual facts & reality are able to penetrate your skull. Kinda reminds me of the old Star Trek episodes in which Captain Kirk gives a computer more than it’s able to reconcile, and the computer winds up shaking itself to pieces.

To me it sounds exhausting, but YMMV.

Oh, one thing I forgot to mention above is that the mental juggling isn't usually a static equation solved for good, but an ongoing process, requiring vigilant defense. Introduce a critical new belief or bit of reality and it may destroy the person's peace of mind, sometimes with some pretty scary repercussions.