Barriers to Critical Thinking

Barriers to critical thinking can harm, and even seriously injure critical thinking concepts. Let’s call theses threats land mines.

Much thinking of the untrained mind is distorted, incomplete, biased, uninformed and prejudiced.

This kind of thinking creates a potential mine field that can hold a person back from using his/her knowledge, schooling, experience, reasoning, intuition, common sense and confidence to make informed decisions.

This section was created to raise awareness of the critical thinking mine field and ways of avoiding the mines. Then, you can focus your efforts on thinking more critically.

Critical Thinking Land Mines

Below are several Barriers to Critical Thinking to be aware of:

• Egocentric Thinking

• Social Conditioning

• Biased Experiences

• Arrogance and Intolerance

• Schedule Pressures

• Group Think

• The Drone Mentality

To sidestep the critical thinking land mines first become aware of them. Then, make a conscious effort to avoid them.

Becoming a critical thinker requires continually questioning your thinking and ideas as well as the thinking and ideas of others. This separates you from the crowd.

The power and confidence gained by making informed decisions is a worthy reward.

Sidestepping the Land Mines

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