Culture of non-thinkers

Photo by: Tim Bindner

Today’s topic is deep and definitely not solvable, but I wanted to discuss it, anyway.  This is my opinion based on my own experiences and observations.  These are the conclusions I have derived and I point it out not to dissuade you but to get you to think.

I believe we have become a culture of non-thinkers.  Yes, this is a generalization, and does not include everyone, but as a whole I see the masses as non-thinkers.  What exactly do I mean by this, and how do I draw my conclusions.  First it is because I observe and think, then draw my own conclusions.  I see this all the time.  People support one political party or better yet hate another one, support a cause or fight against it, pick a sports team or type of sport or fight against it, buy certain products based on cultural bias, eat certain things and so on.

I am a planner.  I research.  I try to get as many facts as I can (sometimes too many) and then decide my conclusion.  I tap into experiences, knowledge of the facts I researched, sometimes others’ opinions, and then draw my conclusion.  I see the opposite from most people these days.

In our current fast food culture, where we want things and want them now, the simple art of researching has been lost.  Sadly, I see people supporting political leaders, wearing name brands, supporting causes, buying products and voicing their opinions with no reasoning behind it.  They do ‘it’ because others are doing ‘it’ or they think ‘it’ is a good thing.

Growing up, I relied on adults, friends, parents and even the media to tell me the truth and how I should think, feel, act and how to behave.  It was not until late high school and early college that I began to ‘discover’ myself and begin researching things before I decided on them.  This again is a lost art.

I buy things based on what I want/need and research the heck out of it.  I wear what I want based on what I feel suits me, not what a celebrity has advertised.  My choice of cell phone, car, location to live, mower brand, camera brand, clothes, who to support, who to vote for, and even what I watch is not based on other’s suggestions, but if they are, I research their opinions before I decide if it is right for me.

I struggle today listening to people’s ‘right’ to tell me who to vote for/against, what sports teams to follow (or not follow due to the message they are trying to support), where to go and what to do/think/act.  Social media is polarizing, especially with police, Black Lives Matter, and politics.  Religious preference also occasionally rears its ugly head.  My favorite thing I hear is “you need to do this, or you need to go there, or you need to see that.”  I know people mean well, but I don’t ‘need’ anyone to tell me what to do.

It has taken me 52+ years but I have finally willing to let it all go.  If someone supports Trump or hates him, I don’t care.  If someone supports Black Lives Matter, or supports the police, or All Lives Matter, I don’t care.  If people love Apple and hate Android (or vice versa), I don’t care.  If you drink alcohol (I don’t), I don’t care.  I am pushing myself to make myself happy.  This constant noise from everyone who is entitled to their opinion, and feel they have a right to voice their opinion regardless if someone wants to hear it or not, drives me crazy.  I am learning to let it go and not try to analyze it all.  As mentioned I grew up with a parent who told me how to think/feel/act.  Now society is trying to do the same.

I am me.  I only can control myself.  I am going to let it all go with outside influence.  I will make my choices based on research and experience.  If I lose people in the process, so be it.  All I ask of you as a reader is to think.  Do you drive what you drive, wear what you wear, have the cell phone you do, go to certain destinations on vacation, eat certain things, support certain causes, or follow certain teams because it is truly your choice?  Did you research it or just go with the flow?

Does it matter to you if I watch certain sports or support an outspoken player?  Does it matter if I support Democrats or Republicans?  Does it matter if I prefer the mountains and cold weather or the beach and sunny weather?  Does it matter if my cell phone is not the latest model?  Does it matter that I am almost debt free and not “keeping up with the Joneses”?  If you answer yes to any of those, then you need to refocus your priorities on yourself and not me.  That is what I am trying to do.

Don’t blindly follow the herd.  Make up your own mind.  Make your own decisions.  I promise it will be okay.  If nothing else, you may find out the true nature of your friends.  I will leave you with something my friend Michael Brown posted on Facebook.  “Let it go.  Change the channel. Unsubscribe. Unfriend. Unfollow. Mute. Block. Walk Away. Breathe.”  Those are in my plans for sure.

Until next time,

Tim