Yesterday I posted about thinking and how I think most people don’t.
Think, that is.
I found this website that I felt made some good points.. If you don’t want to go there, I am going to give a synopsis of a few parts that grabbed my attention.
- Identify your biases and know how they impact decision making. We all have biases. And they do impact how we think. For example, if you think all blonds are “dumb” (Watch it, I’m very, very blond.) then when you meet a “blond” and you strike up a conversation, you are probably already discounting much of what they say.
Another example. If you think all young people are “flighty” and irresponsible, you will not take them seriously. After all, they’re too “young” to really know anything.
- Be aware of your worldview and how it shapes the world you see. You would be surprised how many people have never thought about their worldview and why knowing your worldview is very important to your overall decision-making process.
I would say my worldview is that, first, I believe in God. This influences all of my thinking but I also believe I can think outside the box when it comes to my faith.
I believe discrimination in all its forms is wrong, irrespective of my personal beliefs.
I believe there is evil in this world and I should no nothing to contribute to it and everything to combat it. I believe that the fact I was born in America is something I should never take for granted.
I believe I am to help those who need help but have no compunction to help those who refuse to take responsibility for their lives. I believe in taking responsibility for my own life. I believe in honesty and integrity and try to live my life to reflect those values.
I believe in eternal life. I adhere to The Apostle’s Creed.
I could go on but I think you get my gist.
- Be aware of multiple perspectives and not just your own. I love a good discussion and a good debate and have no problem listening to another point of view. I can actually change my mind if I’m convinced.
- Place new observations in context with older observations. I think this is much the same as the earlier statement. It means I can see another side of a person or a situation than what I had previously thought. We don’t have to change our mind. But when we can honestly see a person or a situation in its entirety, we all less apt to judge.
- Determine what is vital. Some things simply aren’t worth wasting our time thinking about. A snide look, a critical remark, aren’t worth my time anymore. If we waste our thinking power on the unimportant, we often overlook what really is important.
- Seek out what’s NOT right in front of you (determine what’s missing). This one is kind of hard to describe. I think it’s when something just doesn’t “feel” right and you know there’s more to the story. Or when you’re trying to figure out something and you get caught up with what’s in front of you when you should be looking at other perspectives. Many times, there is “more” to the story.
Stay tuned tomorrow for why critical thinking is so important for problem-solving.
God bless and have a good day.
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