critical thinking. it's a skill and not an easy one at that.
it takes a lot of brain power to really dive deep into the depths of your mind and think of an answer that goes well beyond straightforward objectivity.
it's not like answering what 1+1 is, memorizing the alphabet, or tying your shoelaces.
so how might you develop your critical thinking skills more?
by questioning literally, everything.
when you want to dive into the underlying meaning of things or better intepret complex situations // scenarios, the most simple question you can start to ask is:
why?
during my time at University, my entire major was the understanding and interpretation and literary texts, and writing about them. critical thinking skills were required in both aspects.
let me make this example very simple: little red riding hood.
i feel like most people have read this story. if not, well, here it is. a girl with a red hood goes into the woods to see her grandma. there's a wolf. the big bad wolf. he finds out where grandma is, pretends to be little red, and eats grandma. and then tries to eat little red too. and depending on which version of the story you read, little red actually gets eaten or little red riding hood saves grandma by killing the wolf.
so, that's the plot of what happens.
but what about all the underlying aspects of the story?
what is it that you see or have observed between the lines?
why does the wolf want to know where grandma is?
because he is greedy, and seeks to satisfy his wants.
why does red hiding hood tell him where grandma is?
because she is young and naive and sheltered to the world still.
what lessons come out of this?
no matter how nice they seem or how curious they are, you should never put all your trust into strangers, ever.
here is another example with an excerpt from the opening page of a book (Legend by Marie Lu).
This time, I will add some "What" questions:
"My Mother thinks I'm dead. Obviously I'm not dead, but it's safer for her to think so. At least twice a month, I see my Wanted poster flashed on the JumboTrons scattered throughout downtown Los Angeles. It looks out of place up there. Most of the pictures on the screens are of happy things: smiling children standing under a bright blue sky, tourists posing before the Golden Gate Ruins, Republic commercials in neon colors. There's also anti-Colonies propoganda. 'The Colonies want our land,', the ads declare. 'they want what they don't have. Don't let them conquer your homes! Support the cause!'"
Take a moment to consider these questions // statements. These are meant to jog your thinking and interpretation skills a bit more.
- What type of world or situation do you think is being built from here? Give one quote, and explain why.
- Why do you think this person is Wanted?
- What kind of theme is emerging?
- What type of tone is being conveyed to the readers?
After writing some thoughts down, here is what I see:
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A dystopian world with a positive facade over it. The quote being, "Most of the pictures on the screens are of happy things: smiling children standing under a bright blue sky, tourists posing before the Golden Gate Ruins, Republic commercials in neon colors." Although everything might seem happy with the children and tourists included, darker tones are clearly at work. The Golden Gate Ruins are an ode to what was once the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The Republic can also be assumed as some institution of power at work here that controls a majority of things, and since there is no mention of the US or State Government (based off mentioning the cities of LA and San Francisco), it can be further inferred it has collapsed. The neon colors on the commenricals are an attempt to spark joy to whatever current world the story is taking place in.
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The person is Wanted because they have clearly done something to disrupt the order of things within this world. They are very important if their face is displayed throughout the city constantly.
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An emerging theme that can be seen is Fear of some sorts. The Colonies can be assumed as an enemy to the Republic, and they are most likely feared by the people. The Republic is using the people's Fear to spark a call to action.
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The tone is quite frank with the first sentence, and it becomes more honest and real as the world is being built by the narrator. It also comes more from an observational perspective, which could make the current tone of voice a bit more on the nuetral side.
as you can see, critical thinking takes both time and effort to do well. when you question everything, it provokes your mind to analyze and interpret the greater meaning at work. reading for leisure and plot purely keeps us entertained. but being able to ask the why's, what's, and purpose of an author's or creator's intentions is what activates this essential life skill that is gradually becoming lost. just like any skill, you will become better at it with time and practice!
so, the next time you watch a movie, listen to music, read a book, intake an art piece, whatever it might be, ask yourself a few questions on what is happening, and consider the deeper meaning. it makes things more meaningful, and alot more interesting.