Critical bloody thinking!!

[BeingATwatItsABingThing]

I am so sick of this phrase being thrown about whenever posters are discussing rules not applying to them. That’s all it translates as: I don’t want to follow that rule and I am far superior to all you sheep blindly following the rules!

Every time I see it, I get irrationally cross. I know IABU to get so annoyed about it.

Anyone else get annoyed at this or another constantly used MN phrase?

@AnotherOneFightsTheRust

Obviously, they did the right thing and it’s hard to argue that they didn’t. It would be hard to argue that the killing of a mass murderer would be wrong but I still can’t do it. They’re two different actions though. One preserved life only whilst the other would end a life to preserve life.

Ok. I’m not going to argue with you on this @AnotherOneFightsTheRust

This thread was meant to be about a phrase that annoys me and ask if others get annoyed about it or any other commonly used MN phrases.

People using the phrase "but that's just me" always implying that they understand they are inherently superior to everyone else in the world and this is genetically embedded into their very being.

Example ; I understand that not everyone likes to help but I would give every single last penny in my bank account to a complete stranger because they broke a nail but that's just me

Virtue signalling bollocks.

[quote babbaloushka]@btwwhichonespink Do you honestly believe that someone who completed only GCSE Biology is able to make an assessment of the situation equal to someone with accredited publications, decades of clinical experience and 4 years academic study in the field? It would save students a whole lot of money if they could just watch a video or read something on FB, if that's the case...[/quote]
There are a number of problems with your analysis here. Firstly, 'experts' make decisions based on population level concerns, whereas people have to make decisions on a personal level. Scientists know there are risks involved, and that people will die or become ill, but on balance, the benefits (in their view) to the wider population is worth the collateral damage.

Secondly, it doesn't matter how good your science degree is, it doesn't give you the ability to see into the future and know what the longer term consequences might be of vaccinating en-masse with this new technology. You might say there won't be any as currently no evidence, but 'currently' isn't good enough to me, on a personal level. As a scientist who has done her due diligence, you will be familiar with the previous studies on these vaccines going back nearly 20 years. If you read them and decided it was the right decision for you, then good for you. I 'thought critically' about these studies, and the wider context of the past year, and came to an alternative conclusion.

Thirdly, I remember Pandemrix and have followed the resulting legal battle with interest. Thank god swine flu came to a natural conclusion when it did as way more people would have been left with lifelong disabilities as a result of listening to the 'experts.

I could go on, and on, and on, but this is enough with regards to your points on qualifications to make these decisions.

@lazylinguist

Critical thinking is really important (and should be taught more in schools). I don't find the phrase itself at all annoying or smug. However, lots of people don't really seem to know what it means when they use it. Also, critical thinking does not excuse people from obeying the law.

Tell that to the people that breached the Berlin Wall because they had had enough of listening to the experts and decided to go against the grain.

YANBU OP - I have seen a poster feign concern over a 4 year old's ability for "critical thinking" because the child believed in Santa Claus!

@topwings

YANBU OP - I have seen a poster feign concern over a 4 year old's ability for "critical thinking" because the child believed in Santa Claus!

Wow! That’s ridiculous! 4yos aren’t capable of critical thinking because they’re, you know, 4!

@AnotherOneFightsTheRust

As you seem to be ignoring my point, I’ll explain it again. I have no qualms with people doing their own research or thinking critically. It’s important that they do before spouting their rubbish online. However, I object to people using it in a smug way to put down others. It’s also possible to do both of these things without telling anyone at all.

Critical thinking is not the only way of thinking, nor is it necessarily superior. What gets on my wick is that most MN posters who invoke it, are clearly using Emotional thinking.

Brexit was a classic example.

@AnotherOneFightsTheRust

Ok.

[quote BeingATwatItsABingThing]@Sparklingbrook

‘Model’ just makes me think of work. I’m a teacher so ‘model’ the learning all the time. I’d rather not think about work at home though.[/quote]
Ah. Oh dear. Now I see why you are so against critical thinking.

@DioneTheDiabolist

Critical thinking is not the only way of thinking, nor is it necessarily superior. What gets on my wick is that most MN posters who invoke it, are clearly using Emotional thinking.

Brexit was a classic example.

Brexit involved zero critical thinking! 😂😂

Ah. Oh dear. Now I see why you are so against critical thinking.

Funnily enough, not many of the children in my classes use this phrase all that often for it to annoy me.

@BeingATwatItsABingThing

Ah. Oh dear. Now I see why you are so against critical thinking.

Funnily enough, not many of the children in my classes use this phrase all that often for it to annoy me.

That wasn't the point.

The primary factors that made your comment amusing are that a) as a teacher (assuming you mean at primary/ secondary level in the UK, rather than being an academic at a university) hardly anything you "teach" uses any critical thinking and in fact most of it actively discourages it; and b) that you think "model" refers mainly to modelling behaviour to other people. That is otherwise known as "being a human" and is a colloquialism, not anything to do with what was being discussed whicj was mathematical projections of a range of possible scenarios. Which presumably is more relevant when discussing a virus and biology etc.

Either you are being deliberately obtuse to attempt to be ironic (and failing) or we're back to... oh dear.

hardly anything you "teach" uses any critical thinking and in fact most of it actively discourages it

You think I have any say in the curriculum I teach?!

that you think "model" refers mainly to modelling behaviour to other people

I didn’t say I think that’s it’s main focus. I said that’s what immediately springs to mind with me due to my job. This thread was about phrases that annoy people. The focus wasn’t actually on covid or Brexit or anything else.

Also, in teaching, modelling doesn’t just refer to behaviour but learning. If I show the children a maths problem, for example, I model how I would answer it and voice my thoughts as I am doing it. Regardless of what you think, that is good practice in my profession according to the teaching standards, the government and Ofsted.

We do need more critical thinking, but it’s hard to use the phrase without sounding irritating. I think some people need to reassure themselves that they’re cleverer than other people, and it helps with that.

It is irritating when used as: ‘I am right and yet you don’t agree with me therefore you lack critical thinking skills’. It’s irritating because posters who use it this way don’t see the clear and obvious irony.

mmmm sometimes though its the correct phrase to use.

How else do you describe a couple who love spending months motor home touring in Europe, voted to leave and now moaning they can't do that any more and didn't think the rules would apply to folk from the UK.... wait till they find out about taking their pet to the EU lol!

But its not as bad as END OF!!!!

It is irritating when used as: ‘I am right and yet you don’t agree with me therefore you lack critical thinking skills’. It’s irritating because posters who use it this way don’t see the clear and obvious irony.

I know @Newrumpus.😂😂😂

@BeingATwatItsABingThing

hardly anything you "teach" uses any critical thinking and in fact most of it actively discourages it

You think I have any say in the curriculum I teach?!

that you think "model" refers mainly to modelling behaviour to other people

I didn’t say I think that’s it’s main focus. I said that’s what immediately springs to mind with me due to my job. This thread was about phrases that annoy people. The focus wasn’t actually on covid or Brexit or anything else.

Also, in teaching, modelling doesn’t just refer to behaviour but learning. If I show the children a maths problem, for example, I model how I would answer it and voice my thoughts as I am doing it. Regardless of what you think, that is good practice in my profession according to the teaching standards, the government and Ofsted.

No, I don't think you have sufficient control over the curriculum to adapt it to encourage critical thinking because that would require the structure of state education, teaching methods, and the curriculum and mark schemes to change so drastically that it would be unrecognisable. Hence so many employers complaining that the majority of people lack critical thinking skills.

I am sure that "modelling behaviours" that are sensible is best practice for teachers. The point is that a person demonstrating a behaviour or thought process has no relationship to the "modelling" referred to in relation to scientific study e.g. epidemiological modelling, economic modelling etc. It's an entirely different concept, practice and skillset.