We live in a time where it is no longer required for us to think for ourselves. We have been robbed of our own faculty and taught to rely on others for opinions. This may sound excessively harsh, but try to ask yourself one question truthfully: how often do you consume a piece of content, whether it be a new movie, album, or news report, and sit and contemplate and form your own original opinion about it? Or do you, like most others (including me, unfortunately), immediately pick up your phone to check social media and see what others are saying about it? In an age of reposting, we unknowingly pass someone else’s thoughts and opinions as our own. It may seem like a harmless behavior at first; however, critical thinking is like a muscle that, if not trained regularly, can weaken.
This is especially true in today’s political climate, where we are constantly bombarded with thousands of different news stories and opinions. Before we can ascertain what we think about a certain political event, we find out what others online are thinking and begin to equate their opinions with our own. This is extremely dangerous as your opinions, especially political ones, shape your values, which in turn shape who you are. Additionally, critical thinking is an indispensable part of political discourse, and if we cannot form our own opinions about what is happening in our country or in the world, we slowly lose our identity.
However, there is some good news. It is, in fact, possible to regain critical thinking skills. Here are some simple steps that you can take to think unaided –
- Be okay with struggling
In earlier days, if you did not understand a policy decision, or more artistically, a poem, or a movie’s ending, for instance, you would have to struggle and think through it by yourself. Now, you can simply Google (or heaven forbid, ChatGPT) anything that you do not immediately understand. This has caused us to be averse to thinking too long; however, critical thinking is not an instantly gratifying process like Googling the answer is.
The best way to sharpen your thinking skills is to be okay with the idea of not immediately knowing the answer and struggling. Take your time, contemplate, and try to work through any deeper-level analytical and reflective thoughts and questions alone. This may be extremely challenging at first, but defy the need to find easy answers and frame your own response. Don’t focus on trying to produce Descartes or Kant-level reasoning every time. The goal of this is just to learn to work through complex thoughts independently.
- Evaluate information critically
Essentially, question everything. Especially in the online climate, it is imperative to evaluate the credibility of all sources you get information from. On social media, anyone can pose as an expert. You cannot blindly trust anyone online; hence, you should rely on what you can trust: data, statistics, and credible expert opinions.
Moreover, try to learn about how arguments are formed, and try to analyze the rhetorical choices made in the content that is uploaded, or if there are any logical fallacies. Also, question the motivations and biases of others.
- Consider the “other.”
The social media algorithms reward agreement. They push content that you would agree with, whilst shielding you from any different worldviews. This can cause group polarization, a psychological phenomenon where discussions amongst like-minded individuals reinforce existing viewpoints, thus making them more rigid and extreme. To prevent this, you mustn’t simply dismiss the other side’s argument always, but attempt to consider their point.
Even if you vehemently disagree with something, try to consider the opposing perspective as well. Think about why someone would believe that, what makes that view appealing, what would have to be true for this to be wrong, etc. Try to answer these as objectively as possible. In fact, I would suggest trying to argue against yourself, trying to immerse yourself in the other side’s perspective, and trying to form the best possible argument they could come up with to defend their position. If, despite that, your logic still holds up, you know you are on the right track.
- Break down your thought processes
After you have reacquainted yourself with the process of thinking, the next step would be to analyze your thought processes. Ask yourself questions like: ‘Why do I think this is right?’ ‘Why do this side’s beliefs appeal to me more than the other’s?’ or ‘If I believe in X, what does that say about me as a person?’ With this, the more high-level questions you ask yourself, the more new questions arise.
Journaling is a great way to do this. Additionally, there are many such methods available online that may work better for you, such as doodling or Socratic self-dialogue. The intent with this is to question any preconceived notions we might harbor and to challenge our own biases. To be a better thinker, we must also refine our process of thinking. Once you can break down and analyze your thought processes, you will be a more critical thinker than most of the world’s population.
Critical thinking is not a one-and-done matter. It is a process that constantly needs to be used and improved. You are unique, so are your thoughts. Don’t trade them for someone else’s. Take advantage of the one thing AI cannot do: think autonomously.
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