11/10/2021
CONSEQUENCE OF FAILURE OF CRITICAL THINKING
by Francis Villadelgado
Between 15 to 20 million were killed in Europe in World War II. A consequence of Hi**er’s bias and pursuit of domination, his failure in critical thinking, overconfidence, and lack of respect for his opponent’s capabilities led to his downfall. There was economic turmoil and the people’s dismay of their leaders voted Hi**er to be the leader of a fragile German nation. The lack of understanding of subsequent events and failure of critical thinking pushed Germans to vote for him. After the war, many more world leaders failed on the lessons of the past. Over the decades, leaders were still struggling with the right balance in good governance to the delight of despots.
Today’s technology in social media platforms exacerbated the flow of misinformation. Fake news was disseminated by trolls hired by moneyed individuals with vicious agendas. It is therefore vital that the consuming public beware of being misled and make another mistake in voting their leader.
Critical thinking is a skill that not everybody has the right skill set to develop – but awareness of the lack of this skill will empower a person to increase his level of understanding. The first step is to know the elements of a critical thinker.
Verity Aylward about Critical Thinking
“If you want to learn effectively, you should consider whether the information is correct. This can help you come up with new ideas.
In Mein Kampf, Adolf Hi**er said: 'The great masses of the people ... will more easily fall victims to a big lie than to a small one.’
To become an effective independent learner, you need to ask questions about new information you come across. You should consider whether the information is true or not.
Critical thinking skills are valuable not just for learning, but also in understanding yourself and making big decisions. Sometimes they may help you to think creatively and come up with new ideas.
Critical thinking skills:
Reasoning
We are thinking critically when we: think carefully rather than simply react to our emotions.
Self-awareness and honesty
We are thinking critically when we: Consider people's motives and acknowledge our own assumptions or point of view.
Open-mindedness
We are thinking critically when we: Consider a variety of possible viewpoints or perspectives.
Discipline
We are thinking critically when we: Acknowledge other interpretations and resist the manipulation of information.
Judgment
We are thinking critically when we: Decide which alternative assumptions, perspectives, and evidence have merit.”
Verity Aylward about Critical Thinking Self Test: True or False
Which of these qualities best describe a critical thinker?
1 Always has to win an argument
2 Looks for evidence to prove they are always right
3 Recognises different interpretations
4 Believes in rumors
5 Understands how language can be used to manipulate information
Answers: (1.F), (2.F), (3.T), (4.F), (5.F)
