Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Thinking About Thinking

In the above comic, Penny wants to learn to think so she can write Textman. She has help from critical thinker Tikka, creative thinker Chaco, symbolic thinker Aleister and strategic thinker Miko. However, taking that first step is a doozie.

Thinking is a commitment to venturing into the unknown. Why? Because:

  • thinking does not occur in a vacuum
  • new knowledge is continually embraced and integrated into what is known
  • beliefs and opinions adjust and change with new knowledge
  • new knowledge can provoke high emotion from unconscious sources
  • thinking invites periods of chaos and entropy
  • at any time, the thinking process can shut down for reasons not easily understood
These are only a few reasons why the commitment to thinking is challenging. However, once you train your mind to think, thinking is automatic and a joy to behold whether you are contemplating the future, solving a problem, writing or cooking a meal.