Blog Post #40: Critical Thinking

Critical thinking doesn’t seem to be around much anymore. It used to be taught in our schools, but much less now. In fact, we are not encouraged quite often to think or to ask questions. In politics, there is a real absence of critical thinking. This means questioning what is presented and looking to see if it makes sense. Much of the stuff that’s being presented now in the media on both sides of the aisle doesn’t make sense to a rational person. But that isn’t the test anymore.

Now God knows I am not talking about alternative facts, of which there are many floating around. I am talking about looking closely at what you are being told in the media and what you’re being told by people like the President of this country. And I’m talking about asking good questions and requiring those in authority to answer them. Unfortunately, many in the media have learned that if they do this, they will be barred from the White House press corps and will be called names and put down in front of their colleagues.

It involves what Chris Matthews used to call hardball. He was very good at asking tough questions and not accepting flimsy answers. The questions that we toss at our politicians and those in authority should be hard, not soft. We should play hardball, not softball.

We should teach our children to question the things that they hear and see in the media. We need to raise a generation that can think critically about our world and is not afraid to question authority.

Ron Breazeale PhD