What do you believe?
Today’s post is about the need for critical thinking. This is something that is not taught in schools and is a severe shortcoming in most people’s Education and lives.
When it comes to Money many people take the opinions of others at face value without any critical thinking.
As an example, when a bank offers a consolation loan you need to look at the total payments over the period, not just the interest rate or the monthly payment. You could end up paying more in total on your consolidation loan than the total of payments on your existing loans. Do the calculation yourself to confirm it is a good deal. Think critically!
And this extends to areas beyond money as well.
Recently I received an email from one of my contacts that suggested a nefarious reason behind a philanthropist’s foundation. Cited in the email was a link to a Huffington Post article.
As I read the article I noticed it was filled with statements that could not be verified. There was no proof backing up the claims. It was filled with hearsay and opinions. It was not based on evidence.
Later in the article, there was this paragraph:
The report had numerous factual problems. Its author ― the Rebecca Project’s chief financial officer, Kwame Fosu ― also hadn’t disclosed a significant conflict of interest: The employee who’d leveled the charges against the Ghana project was the mother of his child. The fallout wound up splitting the organization, as one of its founders and several staff departed, taking with them all the Rebecca Project’s funding. Left with the group’s name, Fosu doubled down on his conspiratorial claims.
I do not profess to know the truth of the accusations. What was missing was proof.
In another part of the article, it mentioned the abuse by government researchers in the notorious Tuskegee Study as though everything the government does, or what a philanthropist does, must be nefarious.
This was used to tie together stories of evil intent. What I am saying is people can claim anything, and without verifiable proof, I am hesitant to believe wild accusations. And doctored photos are not proof. This is where critical thinking must be used.
Do you remember the 2011 photo of a jet airline flying into one of the towers of the World Trade Center in the background?
In the foreground was a tourist standing on the roof of the tower. It was proven to be a doctored photo.
I am not saying evil intent does not exist. What I am saying is people can claim anything, and without verifiable proof, I am hesitant to believe wild accusations.
Another example: I have a theory that the pharmaceutical industry created Covid to sell billions of dollars of vaccines. Why not? I frequently write about how to grow a business, and this could be a method.
I could spread this theory far and wide, but I have no proof, AND I am sure I can get many people to believe me. Neither you nor I can prove it is true or false. That is what makes it a great conspiracy theory. Again, this is the importance of critical thinking.
The point is you and I both need to use critical thinking and determine the motives of the person who expresses ideas meant to influence you, whether it is politics, health, or money.
To Your Prosperity,
Rennie
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