consider the source

Debate tips (for when you don’t have any ideas of substance)

When I engage in political conversations with people who disagree with me – whether in person or on Internet comment boards – I often don’t get rebuttals that directly address my point. Too often, when I saw or heard criticism of Obama, the response went right to either “Well, Bush got us into this” or “Bush’s policies led to that.” The implication was that if you have an issue with one of Obama’s policies, you must have been a Bush supporter – which is irrelevant. It’s time people realize that it’s possible, and often the case, that the people…

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Critical thinking: the first step toward conservatism

I was recently looking at a picture on a photography site. The picture was nowhere near as intriguing to me as the statement that accompanied it: “Ever since my first encounters with many of the great photographers who inspired me, I became aware of the value of turning my attention away from the main event. So often, the temptation is to look where everyone else is looking. But, time after time, I have chosen to observe what’s going on by looking in the other direction – before, or after, or at the edges of the main attraction. There, I…

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What is critical thinking?

I remember looking at a picture on a photography site. The picture wasn’t very memorable. What intrigued me was the accompanying statement: “Ever since my first encounters with many of the great photographers who inspired me, I became aware of the value of turning my attention away from the main event. So often, the temptation is to look where everyone else is looking. But, time after time, I have chosen to observe what’s going on by looking in the other direction – before, or after, or at the edges of the main attraction. There, I find the textures, moods,…

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Don’t consider the source

Consider the content of what is being said. Considering the source is one of the greatest wedges dividing our society. It allows us to avoid the merits of an idea by destroying the reputation of the source. Instead of stopping and considering the idea or information being shared, people are becoming way too quick to dismiss what they’re hearing because of who’s saying it. Think what you want of Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton (just to pick two examples), but there’s a reason they say the things they say and do the things they do. (And you’re not them,…

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