Thinking for yourself. challenging external influence

The ability to think for oneself and form independent judgments is fundamental to well-being and authentic decision making.

However, in everyday life, we are constantly exposed to a bombardment of external information and expectations that can lead us, often unconsciously, to let others think or decide for us.

The Danger of Unchallenged Influence

When critical thinking is not exercised, it is easy to assume other people's truths as one's own, especially if they come from sources perceived as authoritative (parents, bosses, society, the media) or if they are presented in an emotionally persuasive manner.

This influence may be subtle, manifesting itself in the adoption of ideas, values or lifestyles that have not been thoroughly examined.

Post-truth", where emotion and belief outweigh objective facts, is an example of how thought can be manipulated, installing simplified or biased ideas as if they were irrefutable truths.

Social networks and hyperconnectivity can amplify this phenomenon, creating "tribes" of thought where only information that confirms pre-existing ideas is consumed.

The Comfort of Yielding the Thought

Critical thinking requires effort, and it is often more comfortable and less confrontational to have others think or decide for us.

Laziness or cowardice can lead to this surrender of intellectual autonomy.

Social expectations about what is "right" or "desirable" (a type of job, a standard lifestyle) exert considerable, often unconscious, pressure on our life decisions.

We are instilled with fear of the consequences of deviating from the norm, fear of criticism, fear of authority, or fear of discomfort.