Critical or Cynical?

School teaches us to think critically. Analysis of facts. We read well worn literature and discuss what it means in class. As we do we learn that there are differing views on what the literature means. To each reader there are minute differences in meaning. They read the same words. One would assume they would capture the same meaning.

But life is more complicated than that. Layers and layers of meaning lay on the surface of life. Like dust at times; move the dust around with the tip of a finger, see a view of what lies beneath the dust. Push that aside and still another layer of whatever resides below that.

Same with literature. The cadence, rhythm, color of wording…the context of the phrases, the mood of the reader coupled with the mood of the author…different senses of what is being stated. What the author intended is not even at issue; it is what the reader took away from the material that matters. And then how each reader in the classroom gets something different from the same words.

This is critical thinking. It does not always lead back to the same spot – origin of material, or conclusion of facts. No; critical thinking takes us on a journey through logic and intensity of feeling. This is where art resides. This is the beginning of poetry. This is the moment of creating an idea.

And it is good.

It is good because there are many ideas that exist on their own yet even more that rely on the ideas of others. Not the same ideas, but cornerstone bits and pieces which give rise to other ideas. The social value of thinking and learning; of expressing thoughts and capturing the same. There is no beginning or end to this process, is there? It is all of a piece of the maelstrom of life. So much material. So many layers. Each interacting with more complexity than when it started. Sort of like a Jackson Pollock painting. You know the genre – drip painting or swirled spills on blank canvas until the picture is a network of swirls and lines and colors and…layers of presentation. Layers. Again with the layers.

With such complexity of meaning critical thinking becomes like an art form. It becomes basic communication. But it still does not discern for us final meaning. Or purpose for that matter. We haven’t even spoken of this – purpose of expression. Purpose of words.

I think it is connectedness. We express ideas to become partnered with another person. We do this to become identified with group, with social order, with other lives, with meaning, purpose, and….

Purpose pops up again. Hitching on to another person and learning what is on this other mind. The connectedness. The sharing of ideas, of meaning. Of sharing life with others.

Critical thinking is not negative. It is a force of understanding. It is a seeking of shared meaning at least for a moment. So at least two lives can dare to move forward on some level of commonality.

We communicate for this purpose. But so much more is involved.

Now switch to the television. Turn it on. Listen to what is being said. More than 50% of the words are sales pitches. They are trying to get you to see a product or service that they think you need and attempt to get you to buy it, remember it, pursue its purchase. Selling something. To you. For commercial gain of an organization.

And of the TV producers, too. Without the ad revenues no programming would be produced. No programs would be viewable. At the flick of your switch.

Now the other 50% of content on TV. It is what? A whole lot of drama, sex, violence and other fare that is to distract you from other life concerns. There are also documentaries and news programming that informs. And of course there are propaganda programs that influence rather than inform.

What is it we are exposed to on TV? How do we determine what it is we wish to consume over the air waves. Do we analyze the material, the content? Do we understand what it is we are consuming, hearing, reading, listening to? Are we truly understanding the impact of this material on our inner lives?

And how do the layers now stack up? Are they folding together purposefully and intellectually? Are they making sense that will help us live our lives? Or is there another purpose entirely?

Analyzing. Thinking. Critically dissecting content so we pull the most value from it. Discerning truth from fiction. News from entertainment.

Critical thinking. Do we pursue it? Do we even do it? Are we losing our trained edge to be critical thinkers?

I think that depends if we even realized that we were being trained to be critical thinkers.

So many people hear ‘critical’ and think ‘cynical’. They look for a darker motivation of the speaker/writer/performer. They wonder how their message is intended negatively toward them. They may even build anger over this motivation. If they do an entirely different message forms on top of the original one, and more layers are created to have a life of their own.

How exhausting. How utterly exhausting!

Rather we openly seek understanding. Should we do this we will likely enter the realm of critical thinking, seeking common understanding rather than divergence.

Comity and community. Civility, too.

Now that’s refreshing. Maybe we can kick cynicism to the curb?

May 21, 2014