BlueCoyote said:

Hehe. yeah. For hardcore skeptics (like me 2), the only way out of the circle sometimes is to be skeptic about skepticism itself, to loose the 'distance' and plunge into the here and now

---

I concur. To question is obviously important, but I see too many people get caught up in a solely pure skepticism mindset and blindly follow whatever is taught to them once introduced to critical thinking in intro college/uni science or philosophy.  I believe to truly utilize these tools, one needs to ironically question them as well every once in a while. 

When rigidly and blindly followed without questioning, I see skepticism become used as a strict filter and a form of closed mindedness when it is the first and only tool used when presented with some new idea, thought, belief etc. 

I think it's best used when utilized AFTER an open minded and unbiased neutral approach, based on understanding of the general idea..what it is proposing, it's relation to similar ideas, its believers, it's function etc...or maybe just the basics, unfiltered from your beliefs.  Once it has been genuinly listened to and understood according to its own logic and such, THEN thats when analyzation and questioning should come in, IMHO.

I just see scepticism too often used as a destructive weapon and protective barrier against any ideas that challenge one's held views and beliefs, rather than as a neutral noncondescending tool.

I don't know, just the way I see it. I prefer to be keep my mind open to everything and enjoy learning about new ideas, however farfetched they may seem, and at least understand it and see how it fits with everything else. I try to keep an agnostic 'I don't know' attitude or that of robert anton wilson's 'maybe philosophy'. To me it seems the best way for now to progress on my path for exploration and understanding about the bigger picture and I think it is useful for explorations in science, spirituality and everything in between.

Rather be an ignorant but curious beginner then an arrogant monkey thinking I learnt all there is, that I've figured it all out and that only I am right.