To think people have lost their power of critical thought

[TheClaws]

I’ve noticed a tendency of people across social media to respond to posts without any critical thought or analysis. Eg. Someone tweets ‘There was no quid pro quo: the sham is over.’ The replies to this tweet are primarily ‘AGREE!’ ‘We need to make arrests’ etc. DISCLAIMER: this is just an example. Please don’t jump on this content. If you do, you’re somewhat proving that point.

Regardless of political affiliations, this reluctance to think frightens me. I see over a range of subjects, not just politics - though in the political arena, it is dangerous, as we run the risk of being used by others. (By this I mean misleading social media posts could be made and commented upon as above by unwitting people.)

My point is this: before you comment on something, research it, even just a little bit. Use more than one source. Learn what sources are trustworthy and what are not credible. This process doesn’t take much time and soon becomes second nature.

We all need to make an effort to seek out and follow sources from all shades of the spectrum, eg. In politics, if you were more Conservative, follow at least a few Left-leaning journalists on Twitter. And the opposite. Etc.

We all need to make an effort to seek out and follow sources from all shades of the spectrum, eg. In politics, if you were more Conservative, follow at least a few Left-leaning journalists on Twitter. And the opposite. Etc.

There was a thread on here the other day about the election debate. A good number of people said they were 'upset by it' or 'couldn't watch it'.

Asides from a lack of critical thought it seems that there are people who refuse to listen to any opinions that may challenge their own. This is just as much of a problem.

@TheClaws I think that his a huge problem. People have their one sided view point validated through lots of sound bites and totally discredit any other view by using insults such as ‘libtards’. Social media is just an echo chamber, as a pp said and people aren’t willing to engage.

Some very thoughtful posts on here. PBo83 your teen daughter has an excuse, hopefully she will grow and mature! A lot of adults don't seem to ever develop the capacity for independent thought, and that is worrying for society.

I am concerned that Twitter affects political leaders so much, I sometimes think they pander to the Twitter mob. Public opinion is easily manipulated, and conformity to one "side" or another enforced.

People have greater access to information today than ever before, you just need to look in the right places. You can access virtually any information from the phone in your pocket, you just need to find reliable sources.

I meant that taking time to think things through and to read that info in detail. You can access a lot of info, yes, but how many of us take the time to sit and discuss and evaluate different points of view on that information as well as really digesting it.

Just as I was about to give MN a rest because of exactly this frustration, this thread comes along and pulls me back in /said in best Michael Corleone impression.

Since Brexit has made an appearance, as we all knew it would, immediately… I think plenty of people know that if it happens, it’s going to be a long process, and that “Get Brexit Done” simply means let’s at least get past the first hurdle. So while it’s a simplistic slogan, it’s not completely without meaning. A lot of shorthand like this is used in discussion, because there’s so much out there people want to comment on; as a result, individual discussions suffer.

Thanks @TeaAndStrumpets (awesome username by the way!).

I really am trying to instil in her that there isn't always a 'right' opinion and it's perfectly fine to question what you read. It feels like a bit of a losing battle but hopefully it's at least sunk in a bit if she does start to question what she reads.

it's not always easy to dig out the actual information among the propaganda

It’s precisely because there’s so much propaganda, and - as PP have noted - a large number of readers are conditioned and simply parrot the there’s catchphrases.

Whoops - let me try that one again.

It’s precisely because there’s so much propaganda, and - as PP have noted - a large number of readers are conditioned and simply parrot the catchphrases, that it’s ever more important to filter it with care.

What you ‘like’ or ‘share’ moves around the circle perhaps to someone with a more vulnerable psyche. In turn, they could respond with a ‘like’ of their own, and the cycle continues.

It’s all a manipulation of the masses.

To be fair, critical thinking and the ability to question the information given to you is a direct result of education. Most people have to be taught it, it doesn't come naturally. And it is rarely taught well below a university level. There's a reason most revolutions were incited and run by the Bourgeoisie and not the Proletariat.

Social media also gives everyone the misguided idea that their opinion is valuable and matters, and it makes it easier for them to find other people who think the same and thus begins the cycle of confirmation bias.

Critical thinking also requires access to lots of information and the time to digest it. We may have lots of information now, but we don't have time to digest it and think about it. Most people get their "facts" from memes.

In general, there's always been thickos, but the thickos have a voice now.

I am pretty old, and don't "do" Instagram or Facebook. From what I understand getting Likes is a major goal. To me it sounds similar to dog training, and is obviously effective at herding people into conformity.

@TheClaws I think the vindictive nature is fuelled by insecurity and fear. People seem desperate not to be seen as different and not secure enough in their “own” opinions where they they are really just a superficial regurgitation that they just shout loudly and aggressively to make their point heard and try and intimidate people to stop them challenging it as they don’t understand the point enough to defend it.

No, they haven't lost their power of critical thought, because they've never had it to lose.

@Lifeover

That is absolutely spot on (you kinda said in one paragraph which I almost managed in six!).

Acceptance is so important in a social media world that people will regurgitate the 'acceptable' opinion (typically the one that carries a veil of moral superiority) rather than risk forming and sharing their own and potentially isolating themselves.

The aggression against anyone who disagrees and the lack of willingness to even listen to opposing opinions creates allows them to live in an echo chamber of mutual appreciation and self-congratulation.They almost become indoctrinated in their thinking that every issue is black and white (i.e. "X is the right way of thinking and anyone who disagrees is ignorant, needs 'educating' or is just a 'bad' person).

It's quite worrying.

I am pretty old, and don't "do" Instagram or Facebook. From what I understand getting Likes is a major goal. To me it sounds similar to dog training, and is obviously effective at herding people into conformity.

I have a FB account, and have, from the start, refused to Like anything, even stuff I really like. Instead, if I like something, I respond to it with old fashioned words. This might explain why I don’t have that many friends!

It’s sadly amazing how many people aren’t the slightest bit interested in conversing or communicating in anything other than prepackaged memes. And whoever invented animated GIFs should be condemned to live in one, if that can be arranged...

Weren’t people always like this? Only now they have platforms for the rest of us to read them on whereas before it would be page 35 on the “readers letters” segment

I agree. There is no common sense or people asking why that would be the case.

I was looking at something that had been shared on social media recently. It was a story saying 'beware this novelty keying that you can be given at petrol stations. It has a GPS in it and people use it to follow you home then attack and rob you'. It was obviously a scam and some fairly sensible people I know had shared it. I was just thinking why on earth would someone do that? You can follow someone home, or attack, or rob someone perfectly well without hoping they pick up a key ring GPS tracker and following that! What would that add? People were getting into a frenzy about it.

I agree with the echo chamber stuff as well - the rise of anti vaxxers and flat earthers etc is scary

It’s not just social media memes. Politicians are exploiting this to the full, Trump being the best example. Short hyperbolic comments fired out, no depth or explanation, then move on.

When you compare debate in the House of Lords with the playground braying of the House of Commons, it is stark. It feels like politicians don’t want people to think too deeply either.

For me, I think that there is an urgency about our opinions which there never was before. We need to come up with an opinion and do it quick.

There are so many issues vying for our attention which are now all now all at crisis point. It is easier for people to just pick a team and stick to it no matter what. Whether that is Leave or Remain, Corbyn or Boris. There is no time for nuance and because people have picked their team they gloss over the negatives from their side, the actions which they would never agree with under other circumstances.

If you listed the things Boris Johnson has done, nobody would want him looking after the country. Trump is the same. He is a self-confessed sex offender but those who chose his team ignore it because they don't have the time or energy for another narrative.

Jeremy Corbyn is either a hero or villain depending on who you talk to. Those who have chosen to hate him refuse to acknowledge anything he may say or do which would be in alignment with their values because he is the enemy. Those who support him do so rabidly and won't counter criticism regarding anti Semitism in the Labour Party

In addition, we have our discussions on the internet where there is no appreciation for the view of the other person. If I am discussing politics, the environment or parenting with a friend IRL, I am able to take into account their personal circumstances and see how it has formed their view and I can often appreciate that I have had a pretty privileged, easy life and therefore have different views to someone who has been shaped by different experiences.

Online, we are just shouting into the void. we aren't really looking for conversation, we are looking for confirmation.

We are capable of critical thinking. We do it when we are buying things and check reviews and ratings. We do it when we are looking for schools for our kids or where would be a good place to live. But there is a combination of anger, frustration and a feeling of overwhelm which is pushing us all.

I think you have it right @NoNewsisGood. Yes, there’s unprecedented access to information but there’s no framework (as another pp said) through which to understand it. Really, before you comment (on here, on social media, on a newspaper article) you ought to read multiple sources, from different (explicitly stated) perspectives. I think we underestimate the problem if we say “a quick google” could solve this problem. Its a helluva lot more complicated than that.

I am pretty old, and don't "do" Instagram or Facebook. From what I understand getting Likes is a major goal. To me it sounds similar to dog training, and is obviously effective at herding people into conformity.

And they like playing together in one place, and anyone that dares say a word out of line is a !TROLL! Again, it points to a lack of intellectual thinking - they refuse to consider other viewpoints, sometimes to the extent of not considering them valid, or even evil.

Agreed. I tried to have a discussion yesterday with a man who is old enough to think critically.

Everything I said, he jumped to the most extreme conclusion of that view, so eg if I think rich people should pay more tax, I therefore must think rich people who disagree with that are evil and bad

It was like trying to have a healthy discussion with the Daily Mail comments section.

I thought less of him by the end, particularly as his strident views were completely counterintuitive to his own circumstances and best interests.

To be fair, critical thinking and the ability to question the information given to you is a direct result of education. Most people have to be taught it, it doesn't come naturally. And it is rarely taught well below a university level.

This is a very good point. I feel like the mainstream media knows this too, hence why it’s so easy to manipulate people into thinking a certain way through misleading headlines and sound bites.

Social media makes everyone think they are experts on everything. And yes, lots of people will not engage brain before going on FB or Twitter. It’s too easy to be a keyboard warrior!