Now…
5 reasons why you(or someone else) are not thinking as critically as you think you are.
1. You’re immersed in a negative environment.
You may not realize it, but those you associate with have a way of seeing the world. It’s easier for you to convince yourself why they are right and agree with them, rather than being different and possibly outcast. Sadly, social ridicule is one of the most common tactics implemented to prevent critical thinking. And this is the type of situation where that applies.
2. You’re choosing convenient facts.
There are two sides to every argument, always. When you turn to the Google to find reasons why you are right, you’ll certainly find them. And this is regardless of your stance.
Critical thinking involves taking this one step further. It means searching for reasons why you are wrong. Search for opinions contrary to what you want to believe. And you investigate those further. This is how you maintain objectivity.
And think about it – if you search for all the reasons why you are wrong and cannot find any, then that must be one rock-solid argument you have formed. Because of this, critical thinkers have more confidence in their arguments.
3. You’re not asking “why” enough.
The word “why” is very powerful. Asking why allows you to analyze a problem deeper and deeper, as well as bring up the questions that need to be answered to form a proper opinion. It also involves asking constantly why you might not be right in your opinion. And it involves putting yourself in the shoes of others and examining your argument from their point of view.
“Oh okay, but why? Why is that correct? Why is that incorrect?” Ask “why” until you can no longer ask it.
4. You’re not using your foresight skill.
Foresight is a valuable skill. It allows you to analyze the possible outcomes of your chosen argument. It allows you to hypothesize what the outcomes are if you are wrong, and what the outcomes are if you are right.
Essentially, you get to see how your argument can impact the lives of others around you. “What would happen if I was right about this? What would happen if I was wrong? Do either of these make sense?”
Foresight is not used enough. It is accomplished by putting yourself in the shoes of others. And this brings us to the final and the biggest problem to critical thinking.
THERE IS NO NEED TO PORTRAY YOURSELF AS A TOUGH GUY, ASK FOR SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE FROM OTHER PEOPLE.