The danger of absolutism

#DiaryOfCriticalThinking #4 - The Danger of #Absolutism..
...or why we should stop thinking in black and white only.

(Social) media, news outlets, and the monthly regulars' table have one thing in common: Over the last few years, they have stopped allowing "in-betweens". There is this tendency that we want to be on someone's or something's side while forgetting that neither can be right (nor wrong) - we are choosing sides.

Obviously, choosing a side is generally great: supporting your local football team, cheering your partner during tough times, or playing devil's advocate in a discussion. Yet, it stops being useful if you end up in "if you're not with me, then you're my #enemy" (and we all know only the #Sith deal in absolutes).

In my next post, I wanna talk about #biases and I am getting ahead of myself here, but it is important to mention here. Once we get stuck on our side, we become insensitive to other beliefs, bash other opinions, and and even start excluding people as a whole... finally we stop thinking critically. We stop finding arguments. We stop discussing.

For sure, there are things that should never be up to debate. The thing is that we need to allow space for other opinions: It is a #spectrum after all (grey between black and white..).

Now, why is it dangerous? Because we become more #extreme. The more you push someone away from you the more you trap them in a corner. The focus shifts from finding common grounds to supporting your own opinion only. We are drifting away from each other forcing us to built conflict (maybe becoming too philosophical now).

Switching it up with an #incentive today: Next time you find yourself in a conflict, think twice and (maybe) find common grounds.

Over and out. #KeepThinking