I mean, we all hear about people thinking what they think only because the people around them think it too. So how do you avoid doing that?
I mean, we all hear about people thinking what they think only because the people around them think it too. So how do you avoid doing that?
Why would you want to think independently? I am a collective thinker. I ask other people their opinions and discuss it with them. That’s how I learn and form my own opinions, and how you end up with good solutions to problems. You don’t have enough time to form good opinions on lots of topics, but you have time to curate your sources and who you discuss things with. You should aim for a good signal/noise ratio.
Thinking independently / being a free thinker is overrated in my opinion. A somewhat elitist way of describing oneself. “Not being a sheep” etc.
Identify your core values, sensible opinions can be derived from those. If there is a mismatch between your derived opinion based on one of your core values, then maybe you have to reconsider your core values. The best way to discover those is through discussion with others.
Being truly curious and discussing openly with others is one of the great joys of socializing. It can be done with people from all parts of the political spectrum. It’s much more enjoyable than small talk.
Well, you answered your own question 3 times. Consider the nature of that kind of conversation.
In a nutshell, thinking coarsens as it passes hand to hand. First-hand is finest. Fourth-hand is a crude and nigh-solipsistic.
So that’s one argument for independent thought.
I disagree. I believe that in the right hands it sharpens as it passes. If it does not, then you might need to change the way you talk to others in order to get there.
There are many times I have had thoughts that are principally correct or ideologically true to my beliefs, but that has been more moderated as I have heard the opinions and thoughts of others.
In a perfect world my values would be shared by everyone and the principles I hold would be shared amongst everyone. But we live in a world of compromise, and we can not fight every fight. And also, I am not infallible, my core beliefs are probably somewhat wrong.
Take the very current situation with free speech. I used to have a lot stronger opinion in support of absolute free speech, now I am more reserved. Principally I believe in absolute free speech still, but that won’t work in a non-perfect world