3 ms·

Meh. Critical thinking skills, yes. The vast majority of the rest of philosophy, no. We don't want to reach peak Kierkegaard.

llamaz 10y ago
I have to question whether critical thinking skills are really that important. Truly critcal people are labelled as trouble makers who have issues with authority. People who are obedient, who can play the political game, tend to do much better. This is obviously true in law and politics, and certainly other professions like engineering. But what surprises people is that it's also true within academia - if you don't conform, you don't get tenure. The people who are successful often come from higher income households where children are made to attend numerous extra-curricular activities so as to give them an early exposure to "gaming" the political structure of a hierarchical organisation.
- grp 10y ago
  If those children were learning critical thinking, maybe they would not be simple sad extensions of theirs parents. Two days ago at a welfare office, I said to a 21yo guy: "Take your free time and read! Learn new things!" and he asked me why... So many lifes wasted just because you have to only be efficient in a broken system. (I was at that office because of my too much critical thinking label)
  - llamaz 10y ago
    I agree with you that critical thinking is important. The point of my post is not to say "don't think critically" but rather to draw attention to how if you pursue status in a hierarchical organisation, then you need to accept that you're making a sacrifice. If you accept this fact, then you can better weigh a balance between your personal goals and the easiest path to attain status.
- sir_smurf 10y ago
  No, this isn't obviously true. Criticizing and critical thinking isn't the same thing.
  - llamaz 10y ago
    By "critical people" I meant people who think critically, in the sense of the word critical thinking from the previous sentence
grp 10y ago
If you never learn Kriekegaard, how would you know? I'm not a big fan of him but I find his view about politics pretty interesting and actual (from an online translator): Two powers govern the crowds: jealousy and stupidity. Those who govern know how easy it is to win the flock to his views. In politics, the public is at stake and no matter to have the truth with him. What counts is winning ground. It flatters the lowest desires. The majority rules as if truth was a matter of numbers. For Kierkegaard, democracy is a danger because the mass does not try to understand, has no ideal and follows one that flatters most. Against Hegel, he does not believe that moral virtue can be found only in the state. The individual is, however, constantly under threat. The crowd is lying when the individual is the awakening of the spirit.

llamaz 10y ago

I have to question whether critical thinking skills are really that important. Truly critcal people are labelled as trouble makers who have issues with authority. People who are obedient, who can play the political game, tend to do much better. This is obviously true in law and politics, and certainly other professions like engineering. But what surprises people is that it's also true within academia - if you don't conform, you don't get tenure. The people who are successful often come from higher income households where children are made to attend numerous extra-curricular activities so as to give them an early exposure to "gaming" the political structure of a hierarchical organisation.

grp 10y ago
If those children were learning critical thinking, maybe they would not be simple sad extensions of theirs parents. Two days ago at a welfare office, I said to a 21yo guy: "Take your free time and read! Learn new things!" and he asked me why... So many lifes wasted just because you have to only be efficient in a broken system. (I was at that office because of my too much critical thinking label)
- llamaz 10y ago
  I agree with you that critical thinking is important. The point of my post is not to say "don't think critically" but rather to draw attention to how if you pursue status in a hierarchical organisation, then you need to accept that you're making a sacrifice. If you accept this fact, then you can better weigh a balance between your personal goals and the easiest path to attain status.
sir_smurf 10y ago
No, this isn't obviously true. Criticizing and critical thinking isn't the same thing.
- llamaz 10y ago
  By "critical people" I meant people who think critically, in the sense of the word critical thinking from the previous sentence

grp 10y ago

If you never learn Kriekegaard, how would you know? I'm not a big fan of him but I find his view about politics pretty interesting and actual (from an online translator): Two powers govern the crowds: jealousy and stupidity. Those who govern know how easy it is to win the flock to his views. In politics, the public is at stake and no matter to have the truth with him. What counts is winning ground. It flatters the lowest desires. The majority rules as if truth was a matter of numbers. For Kierkegaard, democracy is a danger because the mass does not try to understand, has no ideal and follows one that flatters most. Against Hegel, he does not believe that moral virtue can be found only in the state. The individual is, however, constantly under threat. The crowd is lying when the individual is the awakening of the spirit.