How to Be a Better Critical Thinker in Life & Business | Neil deGrasse Tyson

Behind the Brand with Bryan Elliott

When I was a kid growing up in the 80s and 90s, one of my favorite shows, playing on repeat in reruns, was the Twilight Zone created by Rod Serling.

It was a well written show where characters find themselves dealing with “disturbing or unusual events” that usually ended with an unexpected plot twist and moral to the story for everyone to ponder as food for thought.

We are living in interesting times to say the least — it kind of feels like a Twilight Zone episode sometimes and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to know what is true and what is fiction. As a kid, the show was one of my first exposures to the idea of critical thinking, which by definition means, “the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.”

But critical thinking alone doesn’t always get us to the truth. And it turns out that humans are not naturally born with the gift of being objective. We really have to work at it. To think critically, we must be aware of our own biases and assumptions — and then apply consistent standards when considering the sources. Sources are tricky too. I remember a time when I believed what I saw on the news. Believed that doctors got into medicine just to help people. Believed that my religion was God’s true church on Earth and my church leaders upheld the highest standards of honesty and would never lie or do harm to anyone.

This episode with Neil deGrasse Tyson is NOT about trying to break your shelf or dissuade you from your deeply held beliefs. It’s about learning more about critical thinking and the scientific method so you can figure out what is real and what fiction. To be a seeker of truth and not be caught up in the trap of group-think.
I have only recently rediscovered one of the most credible sources of truth and light, has been within me all along. And if I had any advice, I think that’s a pretty good place to start.

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