We are too intelligent for this sh*t, we need critical thinking.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

All the problems I've heard. All the posts I've read, here and elsewhere.

All the crazy thoughts, the knee-jerk reactions, to subjects near and dear to our hearts.
Please, look at what you say or write and think, again.
Think and re-think, then respond.

This country is in very dire straights. We respond by letting go of the thoughts that are off the top of our brains. Not by "thinking out" our responses.

Watch what happens, here, to this post. Yes, call it a dare. Dare to respond with thought.

We need to learn critical thinking, it is the one thing that will get us though this era of B.S., which we all embrace. We embrace the BS, the rhetoric, not the thought.
Without it we are empty shells.

Really, left, right, tea, coffee, dem, repub, black, white, brown, yellow, <get the idea?>, all we want is the same stuff. We are not all that far apart.
How to get there may be different, but WE really are not.

Safety, Security, a chance for our children to have a better life then we do, love, peace, harmony ... and on and on.

Learn, please educate yourselves, <me included> the art of "Critical Thinking".

Our discussions will be more informed.

A link. Check it out.

http://www.criticalthinking.org/page.cfm?PageID=766&CategoryID=51

We can fix things, we can make a difference, we need to be smart. Read all the articles.

http://www.criticalthinking.org/articles/index.cfm

Respond by your posts or comments to others.

Thank you.

[Duer 157099]

1. I'll bite, I'm not afraid

While I'm not quite sure what the intent of your post is or what sort of replies you anticipate, I have thought quite a bit about the topic of critical thinking and the role it plays (or doesn't) in our society and the world in general.

What I realized, to my extreme horror, is that not everyone is either capable of or interested in critical thinking, and are quite content to live a reactionary and unexamined life. That's just the brutal reality, from my observation.

When critical thinkers try to engage non-critical thinkers it usually results in extreme frustration.

One would think that rational debate could solve many problems, but that's the perspective of a critical thinker, which does not represent the majority of the species. Unfortunately.

It's depressing, I agree.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

12. Your reply is just what I needed

The intent is to try to ... heck this is hard. I think more in pictures than linear progression.
The intent I wanted was to get better responses to the other OP's
Some threads disintegrate into BS. We need to learn from each other.
If we are to start the change, to be the sounding board, the place where others come to learn, we need to be smarter.

[Duer 157099]

15. Here, let me supply some quotes from one of those links you provided

To every complex question there is a simple answer and it is wrong. (H.L. Mencken)

The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. (Bertrand Russell)

Men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in their readiness to doubt. (H.L. Mencken)

and last but not least:

Hastiness and superficiality are the psychic diseases of the twentieth century, and more than anywhere else this disease is reflected in the press. (Alexander Solzhenitsyn)

(to which I would add: "...in the press AND the internet")

[AllentownJake]

2. Critical thinking

Like, knowing what an economic statistical calculation is actually composed of before commenting?

Like pointing out two data points that should have a statistical correlation are diverging?

That type of critical thinking?

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

6. AllentownJake, honored you responded ...

thank you.

Sure that is one component. You have no problem, your responses, posts are thought out.
Please read the links.

You are one that could teach.

[AllentownJake]

7. I don't think anyone should be honored by my responses

However, lack of the ability to think things through is not exactly a partisan thing.

Would you like me to list the instances of year 1 of the Presidency of Barack Obama all of which is called pragmatic by some.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

10. Sorry, never said partisan...

it's for all. We all need to be critical thinkers. Hard for one that already is to believe that all are not.

[AngryAmish]

3. Go away. 'Baiting.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

4. The replies will speak for themselves ... watch.

[Electric Monk]

5. The yellow Buddhist monk is burning brightly at the zoo

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

8. Reply to 3 (AA) nt

[Electric Monk]

9. 3 is an Idiocracy reference

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387808/

[Uzybone]

11. unreccing for cluelessness about DU and the internet

critical thinking is scarce here in particular, and is even scarcer on the internet in general.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

13. Treat others as you want to be treated. If more of us could do this we would solve most of our probl

[Cetacea]

14. What are your opinions on chronic unreccing?

:smoke:

[Uzybone]

16. reccing and unreccing are pretty meaningless

they just reflect individual opinions about an OP, or part of an OP, or maybe just one word in an OP. In some cases simply a missed mouse click changes an intended rec into an unrec or vice versa.

My opinion on those who care about recs and unrecs is that they should grow up.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

17. Plus ... thanks for proving the point.