Just a thought

“Becoming a Critic of Your Thinking,” by Dr. Linda Elder and Richard Paul is a great piece that teaches its audience how to think and become aware of the ways in which an individual should think. After reading the piece over a few times I have realized the importance of this article in relations to myself. That is, I personally need to become aware of my critical thinking habits. The only outcome to this skill is success in almost anything I do.

Simply put, the knack to the critical thinking process includes both clarifying and questioning. One thing I fail to do is “look on the surface and beneath the surface” of things. Like many individuals, I sometimes come to a conclusion without reason. A person aware of their critical thinking habits may be marked as inquisitive, because they will ask questions and gather all facts before jumping to a conclusion. As stated in the article “thinking gets us into trouble because we often fail to notice our assumptions and form superficial concepts.” Both of which I am guilty of.

An example of this in regards to today’s media is the current domestic violence case between pop stars Chris Brown and Rihanna. As Chris stated in his interview with Larry King, aired on CNN this week, several people have made assumptions about his character after the dispute was released through media. He claims to be a humble person and refused to discuss what actually went on in his mind the night of the dispute. His mother Joyce, in Browns defense blamed her past relationships with men for his actions. Consequently, several blog sites have associated the name Chris Brown with all negative demeanors. There were also several different scenarios to what happened between the two stars, even before both spoke out to the press. Is that a situation with media workers and their critical thinking habits? You be the judge.

As stated in the article, learning your critical thinking habits and perfecting them takes time. It is a skill that must be attained over time like any other skill. Personally, I have highlighted pointers that will improve not only my thinking, but also my writing, my way of solving problems, and also my ability to become aware of another person’s thinking habits.

I mark this piece as a must read article for any person that strives for success.