It is so important to think for yourself. But I’m wondering if it is becoming a bit of a lost art. Maybe it is a by-product of our information era. There is so much information out there, and it’s coming at us at a really fast pace from multiple directions. To cope with the information overload we tend to look for short cuts to sifting through and understanding it all. As a result, we seek out and rely on experts, following their advice because, well, they should know, shouldn’t they?
There is some merit in this approach. For example, we can’t all be qualified doctors. We accept the advice that our doctor gives us, knowing that all those years of medical school have provided him or her with the knowledge to make recommendations regarding treatment. However even in this area we are becoming a little more self responsible than our ancestors. These days people will research on the internet to learn about their condition and then get more than one doctor’s opinion before they decide on a treatment regime, knowing that ultimately it is their choice – it is their body.
Research needs to be done properly, though. Again, there is so much information out there. Not all of that information is good. Not all of it is accurate. Frequently it is opinion rather than fact. Sometimes it is down right lies. People know that “not everything you read is true”, but I think they are far too willing to accept as fact what they find on the internet, particularly if it seems a logical argument and/or is put forward by a well known expert. It irritates me when people who write blogs or articles quote studies, research or statistics without giving the source. At times I have contacted the author to request the reference for the material, and it turns out that they don’t have it. They are just requoting what someone else quoted, and they don’t actually know for themselves where it came from. They have not taken the time to verify whether it is true or not. I think that’s really poor.
One time I dug around for a while and discovered that a story which had been repeated many times by many highly regarded people on the internet was not actually true, but I won’t go into it here as that is a whole story in itself.
But it underlies the importance of thinking for yourself. If you don’t, you can be duped big time. Or perhaps you miss out on something that is really really good, because you have listened to the advice of someone who did not gather and verify their facts before giving an opinion.
I have one really specific example of this that really annoys me, but I can’t name names. It’s like celebrities who thrive on all publicity, even if it is negative publicity they see it as all good because it builds their fame. So I can’t name names in case it furthers his cause. Here in Australia there is a bloke who has set himself up as a bit of a guru in the financial field. He’s a very likeable bloke. He shares a lot of good knowledge. He’s also been elevated to the place where his personal opinion is accepted as truth. Unfortunately, in one particular instance it is not truth. I know for a fact that some of his statements are inaccurate. I also know that he has rejected multiple opportunities to become acquainted with the facts. Perhaps he is not a big enough person to be able to admit that he was wrong, so he does not want to find out he was wrong?
What exasperates me is when people read his advice on the internet, and then follow it – without stopping to check the facts and think for themselves. Because if they did, they may discover that the situation is not exactly as described.
It doesn’t matter what you are researching. There is always good and bad information out there – favourable and unfavourable. Google “God” and see what you get. It is amazing what people have to say about God!
But have you noticed that with a lot of the comments on blogs and in forums where people are giving an unfavourable review or opinion on a product or service they have never actually used it themselves? They are just quoting a story they heard somewhere, from a friend of a friend who had a sister whose uncle said …… Those with first hand experience can generally provide more accurate knowledge.
PLEASE – think for yourself.
Do some research.
Don’t accept second hand stories or other people’s opinions.
Get the facts (verified, with sources).
Then make your own decision.
It is the only intelligent way forward in life.
