I don’t think this is genetic though. Critical thinking is something you should learn how to do. It’s a failure due to chronic underfunding in education.
I do agree with you that the people who can do it, often despair and withdraw from public discourse out of frustration. But they could be making babies like rabbits at the same time.
From barbarism to civilization requires a century; from civilization to barbarism needs but a day.
Will Durant
… by our nature we are dumb, frightened, superstitious animals but given enough time, effort, energy and dedication we can overcome our natural instincts of fear and ignorance.
Unfortunately, it is so easy for us to fall back into our old animalistic ways.
I just hated all the teachers and instinctively challenge all authorities, from parents, to teachers, to school admins, police, and governments. Trust nobody.
I learnt most in school, if i had to pin it down mostly in language classes (German, English) because of the literature i was exposed to and the discussions we had about current events, philosophy because its philosophy and art classes because of the teacher and interpretations of art pieces in context of the time they were created. Also my biology teacher who taught us to keep an open mind and a lot about the scientific method.
The important part were the teachers, who didn’t just let us memorize stuff, but encouraged us to ask questions.
Remember, critical thinking and trusting nobody are two very different things that don’t really have anything to do with one another.
Critical thinking means that you learn to figure out who (and what information) you can trust. If you are a critical thinker, you know how to vet sources, learn what marketing/political lingo actually means beyond the apparently obvious meaning of the words. You know how to find discrepancies between different bits of information and how to balance them and figure out what’s behind them.
It certainly doesn’t mean to not trust anything, because that means you are discarding actual information in favour of hallucinations.
Not trusting anyone based on feelings or emotions rather than through knowledge, experience and unbiased information is also a very dangerous thing.
It can lead people down a path towards cults, religions, and authoritarian leaders and movements that have all the “answers” for you.
There is no greater power for an individual to have than a broad range of knowledge and information from reliable vetted, openly available, openly shared and universally accepted sources. If your guru has secret knowledge that no one knows about, chances are that information is either no good or it is unacceptable for a reason.
And also remember “keep an open mind, but not so open that your brain falls out”
I don’t think this is genetic though. Critical thinking is something you should learn how to do. It’s a failure due to chronic underfunding in education.
I do agree with you that the people who can do it, often despair and withdraw from public discourse out of frustration. But they could be making babies like rabbits at the same time.
From barbarism to civilization requires a century; from civilization to barbarism needs but a day.
Will Durant
… by our nature we are dumb, frightened, superstitious animals but given enough time, effort, energy and dedication we can overcome our natural instincts of fear and ignorance.
Unfortunately, it is so easy for us to fall back into our old animalistic ways.
Wait it’s a learned trait?
Yup. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking#Teaching_critical_thinking
Wait y’all get taught critical thinking?
I just hated all the teachers and instinctively challenge all authorities, from parents, to teachers, to school admins, police, and governments. Trust nobody.
They don’t teach critical thinking in schools.
I learnt most in school, if i had to pin it down mostly in language classes (German, English) because of the literature i was exposed to and the discussions we had about current events, philosophy because its philosophy and art classes because of the teacher and interpretations of art pieces in context of the time they were created. Also my biology teacher who taught us to keep an open mind and a lot about the scientific method.
The important part were the teachers, who didn’t just let us memorize stuff, but encouraged us to ask questions.
Remember, critical thinking and trusting nobody are two very different things that don’t really have anything to do with one another.
Critical thinking means that you learn to figure out who (and what information) you can trust. If you are a critical thinker, you know how to vet sources, learn what marketing/political lingo actually means beyond the apparently obvious meaning of the words. You know how to find discrepancies between different bits of information and how to balance them and figure out what’s behind them.
It certainly doesn’t mean to not trust anything, because that means you are discarding actual information in favour of hallucinations.
Not trusting anyone based on feelings or emotions rather than through knowledge, experience and unbiased information is also a very dangerous thing.
It can lead people down a path towards cults, religions, and authoritarian leaders and movements that have all the “answers” for you.
There is no greater power for an individual to have than a broad range of knowledge and information from reliable vetted, openly available, openly shared and universally accepted sources. If your guru has secret knowledge that no one knows about, chances are that information is either no good or it is unacceptable for a reason.
And also remember “keep an open mind, but not so open that your brain falls out”
Love that, I’m gonna steal that ;)
It’s a quote often attributed to Carl Sagan but I think it was around, or a quote like it has been around far longer.
I love the quote too and often remind people about it especially when they want to share information or knowledge that is extreme or not well known.
We do have to question the world and everything and everyone in it … but not to the point where we abandon reality.
Sounds like they thought you critical thinking by teaching you not to trust them.
I am the same, but I got diagnosed with ODD lol