BY SOFO ARCHON
What do a hooligan, a kamikaze, and a racist have in common?
They don’t use their brains much. By that, I mean they can’t think properly—or, more precisely, they can’t think critically. But it’s not just them. In fact, most people aren’t much different when it comes to this.
Sure, we all have our opinions. But how many of those opinions are merely beliefs resulting from unconscious social conditioning, and how many are based on our own understanding? And, of course, we know plenty of things, but how much of our knowledge comes from personal experience, and how much from parrot-like learning?
From almost the day we are born, society conditions us not to think for ourselves. Take school, for example—an institution that is supposed to help children develop their intellect, yet often does the opposite. School confines children to a classroom for roughly eight hours a day, every weekday, for about twelve years. During this time, they are forced to do things they dislike, passively obey external authority, and unquestionably accept what they’re taught. As Pink Floyd famously put it several decades ago, school turns children into “another brick in the wall.”
The official 1982 video clip of Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall.
I know I’m generalizing—schools aren’t all the same. But the reality is that in most parts of the world, conventional schooling is not a place where critical thinking is encouraged; on the contrary, it is often suppressed or simply ignored. Naturally, it atrophies and weakens, much like a muscle that isn’t exercised.
Observe the people around you, and you’ll likely notice the consequences of our educational system. Most live unconsciously, unaware of why they think or behave the way they do. For example, they accept what the media presents as truth without a second thought. Or they believe and follow religious dogmas without question. Or they obey political leaders without the slightest resistance. I could list many more examples, but these should suffice to get my point across.
To free ourselves from such a destructive way of living, we need to start thinking and behaving differently. Below are two basic practical steps to help you do so.
1. Question your beliefs.
The first and most crucial step to breaking free from social conditioning is to question your beliefs—whether religious, political, philosophical, or otherwise. To do so, ask yourself the following questions:
- “Where did these beliefs come from?”
- “Did I reach these beliefs through my own understanding, or did I unconsciously accept them as truth in childhood?”
- “What is the logical basis for holding these beliefs?”
- “Do these beliefs serve my well-being, or do they contribute to my suffering?”
2. Investigate for yourself.
If you question your beliefs, you will soon realize that many of them were imposed upon you by society and don’t truly reflect your personal experiences or understanding. While this process can greatly help develop one’s critical thinking skills, it doesn’t always answer the deeper question of whether those beliefs are actually true. To find out, we must seek the truth through our own research.
Many people don’t like to do their own research because it can feel very demanding. Another reason is that it can threaten their worldview. When one identifies with beliefs that aren’t grounded in critical thinking or evidence, research might show them to be wrong—so one might avoid seeking the truth, fearing that it will shatter their convictions. As a result, they remain stuck in ideological prisons, unable to grow wiser and unconsciously spreading falsehoods or half-truths.
To break free from social conditioning and develop your understanding, you must actively pursue the truth, no matter how challenging it may be. You must be willing to think deeply and educate yourself in all sorts of ways—reading books, watching documentaries, listening to talks, engaging in discussions, or using any other tools that expand your perspective on reality. Most importantly, you must be open to reconsidering your beliefs when you encounter evidence that contradicts them.
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