Unearthing the Power of Independent Thinking
Nurturing Wisdom and Discernment in a Changing Society
Growing up in the 1980s, my parents were not keen on spending money on modern electronics. It took until the mid-90s for us to get an answering machine or a microwave, let alone a computer. I still remember how other kids had printers with fascinating paper that had perforated edges and holes running along the edges, allowing them to tear off letter-sized sheets.
When it came to completing school projects, I resorted to cutting images out of my parents' set of encyclopedias, most likely Encyclopedia Britannica. This habit used to drive my mother a little nutty. All of a sudden images of a Sphinx from Egypt were removed, or a planet from the solar system.
"Sarah, why would you do this?" She would say in a worried tone - a scowl on her face, and a cigarette in her right hand.
I was quite a wild child that had a powerful driving need to be creative. My lack of logic assumed that if my mother didn't hide the encyclopedias, she supported my intention - or so I thought. I would never let my kids get away with this today (love you Mum.)
Despite the missing pages and the occasional holes, we had an entire volume of these books that served as a valuable resource for answering questions.
Back then, there was no Google or DuckDuckGo, no instant answer to quench our burning curiosity. We had to exercise patience and engage in critical thinking.
Want to know how bees make honey? Ask your parents or look it up. It had to wait until a session at the library or someone you trusted told you the information.
With that being said, we believed in what was in the books, we believed what we were being told by our caretakers.
After all, why wouldn't the powers that be tell the truth?
Back then (it feels) as if we were allowed more space to think. And because information wasn't as readily available we accepted most things we were presented as doctrine. This is where not thinking can be dangerous.
British polymath Bertrand Russell once remarked:
"Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do."
While this statement may sound harsh, it's alarming how AI (artificial intelligence) is increasingly taking over the heavy lifting in society. We also have "Smart Phones" that we carry around with us most of the day. We mustn't let thinking and intentionally guiding our thoughts become a lost art form of the past because it's easier to rely on tech.
For example...
We should form our own opinions, beliefs, and feelings about various issues by comprehensively understanding all available data, instead of blindly following what's popular or being incessantly drummed into our heads by the mainstream media. Do your research and trust your gut.
Given these circumstances, I believe it is imperative to cultivate and develop the following areas of thinking:
Embrace Critical Thinking: Nurture the ability to think analytically, assess information objectively, and evaluate all of the data.
Develop Communication Skills: Enhance your ability to articulate ideas effectively, listen actively, and engage in meaningful dialogue with others. Don't just be an internet troll. It's so annoying.
Examine Assumptions: Challenge assumptions and biases by considering alternative perspectives. We are all entitled to live our lives by our own set of rules. There are always different strokes for different folks.
Explore Biases: Explore your own biases and strive to overcome them, promoting open-mindedness and fairness in your thinking. Just because you wouldn’t do something, doesn’t mean someone else should live life by your rules.
Seek Second Opinions: Encourage seeking multiple perspectives and consulting diverse sources of information to form well-rounded opinions. I had three skin cancer biopsies in the last two years. Two were positive and one was negative. I believed the negative result (because I wanted to) and the skin cancer had time to grow deeper. My MOHs surgery required three rounds of cell layer removal because I didn't initially seek a second opinion. Understanding your health is where the old proverb “too make cooks spoil the broth” doesn’t apply. The more the merrier and the more accurate.
Cultivate Compassion: Choose empathy and understanding towards others, recognizing the importance of considering different viewpoints and experiences. We're human, we make mistakes and everyone deserved to be loved, heard, valued and seen.
Open Your Heart: Ironically, thinking can be too "heady" so you want to make sure you're grounded in your heart energy. This is why I am so in love with the Dear Universe journal that helps you to cultivate gratitude daily to improve your well-being: http://dearuniverse.com
Opening your heart to infinite possibilities is how you manifest magic.
By actively engaging in these areas of thinking, we can preserve and enhance our ability to think independently, critically, and creatively, ensuring that we navigate the ever-advancing landscape of society with wisdom and discernment.