Has Critical Thinking Increased or Decreased?

[harpo-my-“SON”Participant 2410]

TY  Ned.  Obviously to answer the Question we have to use critical thinking and gather relevant information about the subject. Without defining the subject at hand we can go no farther. All the math and other junk was useless until we defined the subject.

I didn’t  talk about following anyone or give any reasons why I follow anyone. Just pointing out that the dog at least defined the subject according to his understanding.

The subject of controlling emotions is easy. I claim the exclusive right to control my own period. Therefore It’s not possible for anyone at this site or anywhere else to upset or anger me. If I anger anyone else (and I did try John Doe) then that person has no control over their own emotions. We have only control of our own emotions and  only then if we  exercise it.

I was bound to be misunderstood, and I laugh at those who misunderstand me. Kind mockery at the well intentioned, but unfettered cruelty towards those would be prison guards of my creative possibilities. This so as to learn as much from misunderstanding as from understanding. Taking pleasure in worthy opponents and making language fluid and flowing like a river yet pointed and precise as a dagger. Contradicts the socialistic purpose of language and makes for a wonderful linguistic dance, A verbal martial art with constant parries that hone the weapon that is the two edged sword of my mouth.

[Ned TrentParticipant 4894]

@ harpomason: It surely did yes.

I'd rather die a natual death with a clear MGTOW conscience somewhere off the grid than one within "modern" civilisation with a big stress mark on my forehead and a couple of dozen tubes plugged into my body. Back to the plantation..? Me..? Hey, literally: I won't ever fucking kid myself...YZERLMNTSIC

[harpo-my-“SON”Participant 2410]

This site has many assholes.  I will not apologize for fitting in that group. I like to find out who thinks emotionally. So I will aggravate and agitate all in the name of educating myself about the others around me.

I was bound to be misunderstood, and I laugh at those who misunderstand me. Kind mockery at the well intentioned, but unfettered cruelty towards those would be prison guards of my creative possibilities. This so as to learn as much from misunderstanding as from understanding. Taking pleasure in worthy opponents and making language fluid and flowing like a river yet pointed and precise as a dagger. Contradicts the socialistic purpose of language and makes for a wonderful linguistic dance, A verbal martial art with constant parries that hone the weapon that is the two edged sword of my mouth.

[Anonymous 42]

Here’s my take on this, I left school (public hell school) at grade 10, had GED and machine shop trained in 9 mos. I’ve always used a pathetic form of education (self) I started my first computer and could not shut it off, I did not know how? I searched help topics to learn how to operate it, this lead to satellite hacking, and web publishing all done from searching help and internet info. back then there was not so much information on everything.
Just the other day I had to repair my oil gun on the boiler, the directions for adjustments were in fine print, and written by a baboon! completely ambiguous! I went to U-tube and searched for oil burner settings, I have the tools and gauges, but the ambiguous and incomplete information had my settings off, resulting in a failed ignition. I did it twice according to my interpretation and failed twice. The U-Tube search gave me a clear understanding of the proper settings for that particular gun,

I use Google for spelling checks on words that I know, but cannot spell. or to refresh my memory on something that I had forgotten.

I know what you mean by this generation is quick to say “I don’t know how” well no s~~~, me either, but I just keep on pounding until I am satisfied with the answer. A field trial tests ones knowledge as the written word fails to remedy the problem. Creativity is the practical application of several different forms of knowledge. Laziness is the root of ignorance. Critical thinking comes with critical failure. Failures tend to spawn more critical thinking. It’s the learning process in and of its self. The mind tends to loop around and around until it can identify the failure, and then be free move forward to a solution.
I know my flesh Kincaid sucks, but I have always been a better reader than a writer.
Practice learns perfection, a beginner in welding has very little understanding of fluid dynamics (liquified metal). A stereo set to loud will ruin a weld, as the vibration is recorded in metal when solidification happens. The resulting sound waves are turbulent and vibrates the bond causing erratic seams and bunching in the molecular grain, enough sound and the liquid metal will splash off the bond and become airborne.
Critical thinking depends on the individual, and the individual’s curiosity and drive for the answer.
I just blew the transmission in my plow truck, I’ve been removing snow for a month, been awake 18 hrs. so please forgive any hard reading, good kight…..

[RoyDalParticipant]

I’m pretty sure people capable of critical thinking, and its corollary independent thinking, were rare in all times and places. Else, why would the masses behave like a herd of sheep throughout all history? The ancient philosophers decried the lack of critical thinking; it’s nothing new.

And what is this but that shameful ignorance of thinking that we know what we do not know?
— Socrates

Society asks MGTOWs: Why are you not making more tax-slaves?

[harpo-my-“SON”Participant 2410]

MG-TOWER you have it man. leave attitudes and egos aside and figure it out yourself. Reading is where its at not writing. I lost reverse and overdrive in my dodge truck had to drive it that way for lack of funds to fix it. Six mo of parking so as to have a way out and drinking to much gas. Finally had a grand in my pocket thought now I can have it fixed. Hell no every shop around  wanted $1400 or more. I have changed many transmissions through the years. but never had I rebuilt one. I found a youtube video. the guy took a 518 dodge transmission empty case and built it up from scratch. the view was overhead perfect to see every part. through pausing and catching up I followed along. At the end I crossed my fingers dropped it in reverse and backed out, it shifts through all the gears now. saved myself $750 in labor. I learned that a 518 is just a 727  3 speed with overdrive and reverse both in the tail section. Its also called a 46re. I believe every part was critical for it to function properly. besides the video I read the manuals also. the guy in the video did not talk at all. so I needed info on torquing  bolts and the band adjustments. This example is like yours MG-Tower.  Its not only critical thinking but dynamic self education. I learned from reading your post things i never knew about welding. reading is cyber hearing. writing is cyber talking. How many times growing up did you hear someone say: You listen with your mouth shut and ears open. reading  and rereading and reading again to make damn sure you understand is better than skimming once over and typing a reply. Some will miss a lesson because they read only once get angry at what they perceive to be an attack then make more mistakes when replying. grade level matters very little.  Self education all through your life builds more intelligence than paper degrees. Challenging each other on this forum provides practice. I don’t like making mistakes so editing my own post happens a lot. I would love to turn out several books before I die. I am not perfect so mistakes happen but we both know mistakes are not failure unless we refuse to go back and  correct them. Women fail all the time for this reason. Can’t admit they  was wrong .

I was bound to be misunderstood, and I laugh at those who misunderstand me. Kind mockery at the well intentioned, but unfettered cruelty towards those would be prison guards of my creative possibilities. This so as to learn as much from misunderstanding as from understanding. Taking pleasure in worthy opponents and making language fluid and flowing like a river yet pointed and precise as a dagger. Contradicts the socialistic purpose of language and makes for a wonderful linguistic dance, A verbal martial art with constant parries that hone the weapon that is the two edged sword of my mouth.

[peterfaParticipant 833]

Dude, intelligence is dropping like a rock and narcissism is skyrocketing.

Isn’t there like a ratio test or something? Something like: Arrogance/Intelligence, or, Narcissism/Intelligence.

In either case, we’re starting to approach infinity.

[RoyDalParticipant]

Isn’t there like a ratio test or something?

If there were, some government agency would take it over and put a bunch of feminists in charge.

Society asks MGTOWs: Why are you not making more tax-slaves?

[harpo-my-“SON”Participant 2410]

MG-Tower the only part I would not agree with is your belief that (self) education is pathetic. Self education shows a person knows how to think critically.   I have known many college educated morons. Many of our institutions of higher learning are indoctrinating students, who are already inclined to be narcissistic. They are  indoctrinated in  what to think critically,  not how to think critically. This causes the graduation into the real world a bunch of self absorbed, “know it all’s”  with zero real world experience. These “know it all’s” are  critical of everyone’s opinion but their own. They per-sieve themselves  to be open minded.

 

I was bound to be misunderstood, and I laugh at those who misunderstand me. Kind mockery at the well intentioned, but unfettered cruelty towards those would be prison guards of my creative possibilities. This so as to learn as much from misunderstanding as from understanding. Taking pleasure in worthy opponents and making language fluid and flowing like a river yet pointed and precise as a dagger. Contradicts the socialistic purpose of language and makes for a wonderful linguistic dance, A verbal martial art with constant parries that hone the weapon that is the two edged sword of my mouth.

[John DoeParticipant 743]

The question is bunk because:

1) Critical thinking cannot be measured.

2) I don’t need another reason because the question is quantitative.

With that being said I will propose a similar question that branches off:

Do people practice self reflection?

 

[harpo-my-“SON”Participant 2410]

practice: the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method as opposed to theories about such application or use.

I laugh at myself. If I didn’t Maybe  I would cry. My mortality is so evident to me. My importance so little in the realm of reality as I know it. My grandfather died of lung cancer at 55 years. He worked all his life. My father followed in his dads footsteps, consumed by the same cancer at 56. worked all his life. Neither had the opportunity to retire and take life leisurely. Is this the family “curse” that awaits me? I am 52 now. The two generations before me are part of who I am. This may not be the answer you was expecting but its my reflection of three generations. I still exercise my right to work on my own terms,  but I call myself semi-retired. I consciously attempt to be spontaneous and unpredictable. I make an honest and conscious effort  every day to enjoy my time of life at work and leisure.We all have reasons for believing what we believe. These  are my reason for saying Yes self reflection is practiced.  Interesting  question.  What say you?  Give non scientific personal reasons for your belief. Reflections on the whole of humanity, does not to me, appear as self reflection.

I was bound to be misunderstood, and I laugh at those who misunderstand me. Kind mockery at the well intentioned, but unfettered cruelty towards those would be prison guards of my creative possibilities. This so as to learn as much from misunderstanding as from understanding. Taking pleasure in worthy opponents and making language fluid and flowing like a river yet pointed and precise as a dagger. Contradicts the socialistic purpose of language and makes for a wonderful linguistic dance, A verbal martial art with constant parries that hone the weapon that is the two edged sword of my mouth.

[Ned TrentParticipant 4894]

Good self observations there, harpomason. They are quite similar to mine actually. By now I no longer really need a specific purpose in my life, I just keep living and observing everything. It’s more a bit like: “Don’t worry, just live…” Some smart guy once said that, dunno who though, but anyway…

I'd rather die a natual death with a clear MGTOW conscience somewhere off the grid than one within "modern" civilisation with a big stress mark on my forehead and a couple of dozen tubes plugged into my body. Back to the plantation..? Me..? Hey, literally: I won't ever fucking kid myself...YZERLMNTSIC

[Anonymous 42]

hey harpomason, thanks man, no body ever said to me before, It always bothered me when the same people (educated) would act belittling towards me, it only strengthened my resolve. I live more comfortable than most people in this world, I have empathy for others, they have to pay through their ass for everything, and spend all there time in a form of slavery to their job. Not me, I always went my own way, did my own thing, and heard it from everybody, how I should run my life! I’m glad I didn’t listen. I did much better on my own. I like MGTOW cause I find people here, and on U-tube are both open-minded and extremely opinionated, which is good, their not two faced! Without a strong opinion you’re just a weak man. I don’t like wishie washy politicians, they are the ultimate in two faced. Isn’t it ironic politicians are the so called “educated”. Here I find people are much more qualified to run a country! I found more honorable MGTOW, than most judges in the legal system. And yet the shamming continues! They’ll never learn, and their educated, that says allot for the Ivy league.

[harpo-my-“SON”Participant 2410]

John Doe The original question was not bunk. This is A good thread, some interesting reading and maybe caused some self reflection we all may have needed. I agree we cannot measure it as with any known scale. IQ points don’t really work I never believed it was an accurate measure of intelligence or critical thinking ability. The practice of critical thinking  can be observed therefore its existence or lack of use can be observed. That marks it as measurable for me. You started 16 topics I did follow through them all with the sole purpose of trying to disrupt your thinking and get you offended. not because I have any preconceived notions about your intelligence, but because on the thread You started about atheism and being MGTOW, I took this one line as a personal challenge:

“Debate. (I would be more offended if people did not get offended, so please no holds bar.  However, this is a debate among friends, so no one is better than the other at the end of it.).”

If I could offend you, instead of getting offended myself. I would have you thinking emotionally, not logically. Peace brother, we still friends. You did say no holds barred so following you and being critical of all your threads was within the rules. Your own logic, by offending you, I didn’t offend you ha ha.

 

 

I was bound to be misunderstood, and I laugh at those who misunderstand me. Kind mockery at the well intentioned, but unfettered cruelty towards those would be prison guards of my creative possibilities. This so as to learn as much from misunderstanding as from understanding. Taking pleasure in worthy opponents and making language fluid and flowing like a river yet pointed and precise as a dagger. Contradicts the socialistic purpose of language and makes for a wonderful linguistic dance, A verbal martial art with constant parries that hone the weapon that is the two edged sword of my mouth.

[harpo-my-“SON”Participant 2410]

Ned  My purpose in life is to prove I have some control of it that’s all. No more no less. I have already broken part of the family “curse” by claiming to be semi retired. That and being spontaneous and unpredictable proves to myself I have free will. When I am sitting on a riverbank fishing when I had no plans that day to go fishing I am most content with my life. I just tell myself I am enjoying a retirement my forefathers didn’t get.

We all may have ambitions and dreams.  Working for someone else is helping them realize their dreams at the expense of your own. I like Henry David Thoreau’s  Take on working for other men. Who said this:

“As for the Pyramids, there is nothing to wonder at in them so much as the fact that so many men could be found degraded enough to spend their lives constructing a tomb for some ambitious booby, whom it would have been wiser and manlier to have drowned in the Nile, and then given his body to the dogs.”  For my part, I should like to know who in those days did not build them — who were above such trifling.”

I was bound to be misunderstood, and I laugh at those who misunderstand me. Kind mockery at the well intentioned, but unfettered cruelty towards those would be prison guards of my creative possibilities. This so as to learn as much from misunderstanding as from understanding. Taking pleasure in worthy opponents and making language fluid and flowing like a river yet pointed and precise as a dagger. Contradicts the socialistic purpose of language and makes for a wonderful linguistic dance, A verbal martial art with constant parries that hone the weapon that is the two edged sword of my mouth.

[harpo-my-“SON”Participant 2410]

The best definition of a theory in my opinion is:     An educated guess.  Its short concise and to the point. I have always been critical about wasting my time guessing. To me guessing is like treating a symptom as opposed to curing a disease.I have this outlook and belief because of my self reflection above. The standard treatment for cancer is chemotherapy and radiation. Both are poisonous and potentially deadly.  Its considered success if the patient lives  five more years. Only 4% or less make it that long. These treatments are 96% ineffective and lowers the quality of life to unacceptable levels. I will look for natural cures if faced with that disease. I will educate myself as opposed to guessing.  My opinion Is that no matter how well educated the guesser is, an unprovable guess is still just hogwash. Oncologist fit Einstein’s definition of insanity.

I was bound to be misunderstood, and I laugh at those who misunderstand me. Kind mockery at the well intentioned, but unfettered cruelty towards those would be prison guards of my creative possibilities. This so as to learn as much from misunderstanding as from understanding. Taking pleasure in worthy opponents and making language fluid and flowing like a river yet pointed and precise as a dagger. Contradicts the socialistic purpose of language and makes for a wonderful linguistic dance, A verbal martial art with constant parries that hone the weapon that is the two edged sword of my mouth.

[peterfaParticipant 833]

John Doe wrote:

Do people practice self reflection?

No. Nobody does this any more. It’s absolutely abnormal. Personality disorders are specifically against self-reflection. That’s how they stay alive even though they cause so much chaos.

[Author]

Posts