sharpening

The number of people who really think for themselves seems to be pretty low. Or, maybe more likely, the people who do think for themselves rarely seem to speak their thoughts out loud (probably because while others are talking, they're listening and thinking). The vast majority of what we engage with is information absorbed from various forms of media. Facts, figures, opinions and conclusions taken at face value, just as they're presented. There's very little originality or synthesized expression of independent thought.

To cut through this and reclaim autonomy and authenticity, it seems necessary to step back from the conclusions of others and rely more and more on our own innate intelligence. Examining everything for ourselves, not only based in the facts we're presented with but also in reason, nature and intuition. No longer depending on authority figures to think for us but always being prepared to explore, experiment, contemplate and come to our own decisions, even if those decisions turn out to be wrong (whether objectively or just in the opinion of others). Essentially, by choosing to live our own life in this world in our own way, rather than according to the findings of others.

It's hard to imagine how much our intelligence is being suppressed and deadened by all this information we're taking in, all this faith we're putting in the minds of others over our own. We think it's making us smarter but it's actually dulling our capacity to think and make decisions that resonate with our individual natures. After all, if we can already know everything then why think at all? When someone else can gather all the data for us and we can just find out when they decide to present an answer to us, why bother exploring and figuring things out for ourselves? Might as well sit back, switch off and see what's on until the next story comes in telling us what to do and believe.