Thinking is a fundamental aspect of the human experience. It usually precedes any action we take. Descartes in his famous statement about thinking said; I think, therefore I am. This could mean that the more we think(hopefully with depth!), the more we become.
In my opinion, thinking doesn't necessarily get us closer to who we are. But it is nevertheless a valuable tool that is very underutilised individually.
In our quest for autonomy, we learn to differentiate what's ours and not ours. Limits are created, perspective(s) emerge and we begin to understand what it means to be free.
But what does it mean to be a free thinker in today’s world? Is it a hard and defined concept, or a spectrum to it?
What is Free Thinking?
Free thinking is the ability and/or willingness to think independently and rationally about any particular subject or issue.
The ability to form our own opinions and judgments based on evidence and reason, rather than authority or tradition. The willingness to challenge the accepted and conventional wisdom, and to seek the truth for ourselves.
To the establishment, this sounds rebellious or contrarian enough. And it is why free thinkers are often alienated and persecuted.
An Italian astronomer named Galileo Galilei challenged the geocentric model of the universe at that time and supported the heliocentric model based on his personal observations. Despite it being the truth(i.e the Sun is the center and not the Earth), he was tried by the Inquisition and forced to recant his views.
In India, Mahatma Gandhi was leader who strategically led the nonviolent resistance movement against British colonial rule. He advocated for civil disobedience, self-reliance, and social justice. Unfortunately, he was assassinated by a Hindu nationalist for his views.
The reality is that free thinking is essentially being curious and open minded. That's how we naturally are when we're young. But we somehow lose this ability as we grow old, becoming more rigid and less open. I blame it on drinking too much from the fountain of life's experiences.
Spectrum Of Free Thinking
In today's world and its heighten complexity, nothing can be taken at face value or seen only from a black and/or white perspective. There's more to it than that.
When it comes to thinking freely, there are benefits and challenges to it that influence where we stand on the spectrum. One of the main challenges is having to balance our free thinking with respect for others’ views. Because we're so in touch with our emotions, we can easily get offended.
There's also this challenge of feeling lonely or isolated from others who don’t understand us.
When it comes to the benefits, we're able to express ourselves authentically, explore our originality and expand our knowledge.
This spectrum suggest that free thinking is not binary in a sense that we either have to conform or rebel for example. Or choose tradition over innovation.
Rather, we could conform while rebelling against the establishment. Adhering to tradition but still innovating. Equilibrium isn't the goal but a tool to retain autonomy in a world that's becoming more opposed to it.
Thanks for reading!! Share your thoughts below on the comments.