Critical Thinking and Why Everyone Should Learn It

Nearly every student in college will face elements of critical thinking in a wide variety of degree paths. Why does college push this idea so hard? Because of the impact it has on a student. And it’s not hard to learn.

Given the state of the world today, with social media being a cornerstone for misinformation, critical thinking is more important now than ever before.

In a nutshell, critical thinking is all about determining what information is factually accurate. But it goes beyond just assuming the source is providing real details.

What Is Critical Thinking?

Essentially, critical thinking is the objective analysis of a claim or information provided to develop a well-established and reasonable conclusion. By evaluating the information and the source, you can avoid regurgitating false claims while enlightening yourself and others.

The best part is that critical thinking is not an overly difficult skill to obtain. For the most part, it comes down to spending a few moments considering whether something is true and what ulterior motive the source of the information has in store.

As a freelance writer, I often compared information to make sure it was accurate among multiple, highly reputable sources. That’s because I wanted to make sure that all of my clients received factual information. This often meant spending a bit of time researching the source and poring over reviews.

As an author (prior to college), I analyzed information from writing blogs to ensure they were accurate. The last thing I wanted to do was publish a book built on false knowledge. And yes, I came across a lot of sites that provided incorrect, misleading, or cherry-picked data to fit an apparent narrative to help them sell more books or online courses.

My point is that critical thinking helps you separate true and false statements and claims. This, in turn, improves your understanding while potentially boosting your own reputation and career path. Thinking critically should be taught in every high school, in my opinion. That class alone would reshape the nation. But that is a claim that I have no data to back. So, It’s just an opinion.

7 Crucial Elements of Critical Thinking

Avoiding confirmation bias keeps you out of the echo chamber. Thinking critically expands and challenges your ideas to boost your knowledge and improve your understanding.

Unfortunately, a lot of folks look for information that fits their narratives while ignoring that which is contradictory. Mostly, this practice is for the likes and money that come from social media profiles. Or from politicians looking for votes to stay in power, mostly through fear-mongering.

Then, there are those whose belief is so strong that no amount of evidence will sway them.

Still, critical thinking skills can impact your life in profound ways, should you practice them often. I’ll go over the practicality of critical thinking here in a moment.

For now, what are some vital parts of critical thinking?

1. Being Skeptical

There is nothing inherently wrong with being a skeptic. In fact, it’s rather healthy when you think about it. You don’t have to believe everything that is put in front of you, especially when there’s no concrete evidence to support the claim.

One of the most important facets of being skeptical is considering the source. You’re less likely to question something when it comes from someone who is experienced and an expert in their field. Well, unless the claims are outlandish or don’t make sense depending on the context.

Being a skeptic doesn’t give you carte blanche to disbelieve everything, even when evidence is provided. I’m looking at you, Flat Earthers. You can question the validity of the evidence, but when it’s coming from multiple credible sources, perhaps it’s time to change your perception.

2. Being Inquisitive

A driving part of critical thinking is being inquisitive enough to explore possibilities. Most scientists will question both the claim and the claimant. It’s part of the vetting process to determine if statements are, in fact, true.

I mean, you wouldn’t assume the vagrant standing on the side of the road with a sandwich board that read, “The End Is Coming” is basing the assumption on facts. You would question the person’s sanity as well as why the claim was made.

Being curious should be the driving force behind human interaction. Unfortunately, it’s too easy to just read a headline or a social media post and believe it’s true without digging deeper. Critical thinking is the shovel; start uncovering the facts.

3. Being Open-Minded

One of the most difficult parts of critical thinking for some is being open-minded. This is especially true when it comes to information that contradicts a long-held belief. Instead of accepting facts or exploring the potential of contradiction, a lot of folks plant their feet firmly in disbelief.

Being open-minded is to think objectively in many cases. Instead of confirmation bias, focus on actual facts, even if they’re uncomfortable. You’ll then come from a place based on actual knowledge instead of living in an echo chamber of misinformation.

Have you heard the saying, “People fear what they don’t understand?” Having an open mind and asking the right questions can help you alleviate that fear. That is, as long as you trust the source. But what if the source is providing information that contradicts your belief? Find corroborating sources and then dig into the topic yourself.

4. Knowing Things Change Over Time

A part of critical thinking that escapes a lot of folks nowadays is understanding how things change over time. The facts that you come to believe today may not be the same tomorrow. And that’s OK; that’s how science works. Seriously, do you believe the Earth is the center of the Universe? They did 1500 years ago.

Every year, we come across new information that changes how we perceive the past. Through testing and validation, we can then come to a conclusion about whether that information is based on a reasonable fact according to the evidence we have thus far.

Think of the silly things you used to remember as a child. Are there really monsters under your bed? Is the lightning outside really going to get you? Evolution of ideas happens all the time, and those changes are usually driven by new information you’ve collected throughout your life.

5. Not Pushing a Narrative

Too many people cherry-pick data or misconstrue arguments in order to support their belief or narrative. You see this all the time on social media. The problem is that it propagates false or misleading information.

To think critically is to put aside those beliefs and narratives to actually seek out the truth or fact of the matter…even if the answer contradicts your own beliefs. That’s when you change your viewpoint and improve your understanding of the topic.

Let’s take my bias against generative AI, for example. I am a firm believer that humans should create art, not bots, especially if someone is trying to pass it off as their own. While I could share nothing but anecdotal evidence on why people should avoid generative AI, I tend to side with the science.

For instance, MIT showed the cognitive debt that came from using AI assistants to write essays.

If there were a study to demonstrate the cognitive benefits, I would share that too. I’m not afraid of being proven wrong, and will adjust my belief according to the credible evidence provided.

However, I still wouldn’t use generative AI, mostly because I love creating. Why would I let a bot take away from the very thing that I enjoy?

6. Being Clear and Concise

Remember what I said about cherry-picking data to fit a narrative? It also happens in speeches and papers, where others will take a segment and share it without context. Critical thinking means you’re taking the entire segment of information and coming to a conclusion based on that, and not just the bits.

Then, when sharing said information, you’re doing so in a clear and concise way that avoids confusion. Keep in mind that we’re not trying to force information to fit our narratives. We want to be accurate, honest, and factual, right?

This is arguably one of the more rampant aspects of social media. It’s easy to take something someone said and clip or share it in a way that makes them look bad. Or when someone spins something to be the exact opposite of what was said or shared. Dig deeper into those claims in an objective manner.

7. Able to Say, “I Don’t Know”

One of the hardest things a lot of people say is, “I don’t know,” especially those who are revered at the top of their industry. But in reality, it’s perhaps one of the most important statements anyone can make. It denotes that we’re not going to throw out filler and fluff to make us sound like we know what the hell we’re talking about.

Not knowing doesn’t make you any less of a professional. It’s what you do afterward that makes a difference. Do you stay naive to facts and information, or do you learn and move on?

Of course, that depends on whether it’s something you want to learn. Yet, if it deals with your career path or education, it’s always best to continue building your internal knowledge base. Never assume you know everything, especially in a world where things change rather quickly.

Who, What, Where, Why, and How?

One thing I learned back when I started my freelance writing career in 2012 was to use the age-old layout of journalism – who, what, where, why, and how. I changed it a bit to fit writing content for clients. However, it still holds up today as part of a critical thinking exercise.

Now, it’s not flawless by any means. Yet, following this line of processing information can help avoid getting sucked into anecdotal, hearsay, echo chambers that are often void of rational thought.

So, how does the “5Ws” work for critical thinking?

Who Said It?

First, consider the source. A lot of folks push certain narratives or topics in order to make a buck. Are these people interested in facts, or are they just trying to pad their wallets? Others push certain information because it consistently aligns with their beliefs, whether misguided or not.

When considering the source, ask yourself…

• What does this person consistently share?
• What is this person’s professional background?
• Does the individual have an agenda regarding the information?
• Has the person experienced related claims in the field?

What Did They Say?

Secondly, you need to think about what was said. As I pointed out earlier, many people will say or share things to push a specific narrative. And in a world driven by social media, it’s easy to whip people into a frenzy with the simplest of statements to the right audience.

When considering what is being said, ask yourself…

• Is the statement, title, or headline rage or clickbait?
• Was the information taken out of context?
• Is the statement biased to one side or another?

Where Are They Located?

Location can also play a role in what people say and share. This includes geographic location, which means the person may be far removed from the claim. Of course, you also have people who focus mostly on social media interactions, meaning they have no direct connection to the information outside of online sources.

When considering the person’s location, ask yourself…

• Are they purely on social media (usually indicates the lust for likes and follows)?
• Is the person local or central to the claim (armchair quarterback)?
• Are they members of conspiracy theory echo chamber groups?

Why Did They Say It?

Next, we have to wonder why the person made the claim in the first place. Motivation can come in a variety of forms, and a lot of folks do it for the fortune and glory. Take my writing presence on social media, for example. Yes, I love to teach writing, but I also do it in the hopes of selling a book or getting more ad revenue from the YouTube channel.

When considering why something was said, ask yourself…

• Is the individual being paid to make the statement?
• On social media, was the statement made to drive engagement?
• Did the popularity of the person increase after the claim (fortune and glory)?
• Are they trying to sell something to you after the fact?
• Does the claim come from a place of education or profit?
• Is the person simply trying to denote expertise to improve reputation?

How Did They Come Across the Information?

Now comes probably one of the most crucial parts of critical thinking: the information itself. It’s easy to spread lies, half-truths, and misrepresented facts to make one look superior to his or her audience. So, the information itself usually gets the lion’s share of the scrutiny.

When considering the information, ask yourself…

• Is the person citing a credible source?
• Is the source itself credible (deep dive the source)?
• Does the individual have credible corroborating evidence?
• Was the information generated by AI (which often hallucinates facts)?
• Is there solid evidence to back the claim, preferably by scientific methods?
• Can you find evidence to the contrary of what is being said through a simple Google search?
• Can the individual intelligently defend the claim?

Practical Uses of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking just isn’t for the scientifically-minded individual. In fact, you can think critically in just about every situation. Now, you don’t need to answer every one of the above questions to analyze something. It could be as simple as doing a quick, 10-second Google search to prove or disprove a claim.

My point is that anyone can use some form of critical thinking skills. And the best part is that thinking critically has a lot of practicality.

For instance, critical thinking…

• builds confidence in what you say and share.
• helps you make better, informed decisions.
• helps you avoid scams.
• gives you the power to gain actual knowledge.
• keeps you from making massive mistakes.
• improves your problem-solving skills.
• improves your communication with others.

In reality, critical thinking is all about not taking information at face value, especially if it’s from some random source on the Internet. Even then, you should always ask questions regarding claims that go beyond the surface level.

Getting out of the echo chamber and exploring facts is how you learn and grow.

Always Strive for the Facts

While it’s true that facts can change with new evidence, it’s still important that you learn all you can to make an informed decision. And if new evidence is able to sway your opinion, all the better. You’ll learn and grow as an individual.

Remember to examine the evidence from all angles, not just those that fit your narrative or belief. It’s not about who is right or wrong; it’s about what is accurate based on all of the evidence provided.

Critical thinking is probably one of your greatest assets, especially in a world where misinformation is a traded commodity. Don’t get sucked into repeating something that is blatantly false. Always cite your sources and defend your position in a logical manner.