Critical Thinking
Every day, we are bombarded with information that may or may not be true—information that sways how we think, feel, and believe.
We are living in a propaganda machine. The machine is designed to trigger our emotional responses so that we amplify information without considering whether it is real, fake, or embellished.
When we look to history, we see the damage that unfettered propaganda has on society. If we want to better our world and our communities, it’s critical that we develop a practice of critical thinking.
But what do we mean when we say this? How do we do it? We can start by focusing on six questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? Each can prompt us to dig deeper to evaluate what we see and hear before we pass it along.
WHO
…said / created it?
...benefits?
...is harmed?
…is talking about it?
…has expertise?
…controls the narrative?
…are key players / people?
…has more information?
WHAT
...is the counter argument?
…are the strengths?
…are the weaknesses?
…could be changed to make this more positive / negative?
…stops you from taking action?
…is the best-case scenario?
…is the worst-case scenario?
WHERE
...is it being reported?
…can I confirm / deny this?
…would it cause a problem?
…would it create a benefit?
…can I find out more information?
WHEN
...did it happen?
…have we seen something similar in history?
…should we seek help?
…would it benefit society?
…would it harm society?
WHY
…is it relevant?
…is it happening / allowed to happen?
…should people know about it?
…would it cause people to act?
…is it beneficial information?
…is it harmful information?
HOW
…does this impact me / my neighbors / my community / my country?
…does it impact the balance of power?
…does it disrupt the narrative?
…do I know it’s true / false?
…how does it benefit me / society?
…how does it harm me / society?
…does it affect the future?
