Have you noticed that some people think they’re expressing facts when really they’re telling you a story about a fact?
Facts matter, but it’s what we say about them that determines how we think. Sometimes the stories we tell become so powerful, we adopt beliefs that undermine the fact itself. I’ve watched people use the same fact to prove entirely opposing ideas or beliefs.
Self-Awareness
That’s why I like to remind everyone that critical thinking starts with self-awareness. We can notice the way our own desire to be right or to fit into our communities or to know more than someone else undermines our ability to learn or have our assumptions challenged. We might even reject a fact just because it conflicts with what our community expects us to believe.
My workbook BECOMING A CRITICAL THINKER teaches your 12-18 year olds how to hold a bias while examining uncomfortable views. It gives them direct experience with examining their assumptions and exploring the ideas and beliefs of people who see the world differently. They will have tools that help them identify scams and charlatans.
Let’s raise a generation of kids who don’t get sucked into black-and-white, antagonistic thinking! Teach them to think for themselves and to think well!
