What Happened To Critical Thinking After COVID?

Introduction

This past weekend, I engaged with someone on social media (Threads) about climate change. Before I could provide more information and a rebuttal on the topic, I discovered that my comments had been blocked.

This was surprising because this individual and I had previously discussed other topics on the app, and we even agreed on certain issues, such as election results. It’s rare to find alignment on such complex issues, so I thought we had some shared understanding.

However, when it came to climate change, they blocked my replies and shut down the conversation entirely.

This led me to question: why would someone refuse to engage with new information? As I reflected on this, I realized it ties into a larger issue I’ve been pondering for a while: as a society, we’ve lost the ability to think critically. We’ve lost the capacity to absorb and analyze information thoughtfully.

In this podcast, I explore how the media bombardment of the past two to three years has conditioned individuals to stop engaging with information critically. Instead, we’ve been taught to disregard anything that doesn’t come from a mainstream source, expert, or consensus.

This phenomenon I experienced firsthand this weekend highlights a troubling reality: people no longer evaluate new information; they dismiss it.

I delve into an article from The New York Times on critical thinking and examine how the media uses what I call “narrative warfare” to train the population not to think critically. I break down their methods and discuss why reclaiming critical thinking is essential.

This podcast was recorded over two days, so you may notice a shift in tone between segments. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the episode.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback! Below are the references and notes from this discussion. There’s also a YouTube video for your preference as well.

Thank you, as always, for your time and attention. Have a great and wonderful day.

Ashe.

Franklin O’Kanu — The Alchemik Pharmacist

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Timestamp of Podcast

Summary: Franklin O'Connell delves into the decline of critical thinking post-COVID, exploring how systematic narratives have suppressed independent thought and offering strategies for reclaiming intellectual freedom.

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Key Points:

Introduction and Premise (00:00 - 00:58)

Summary: Franklin introduces the podcast and sets the stage for discussing the erosion of critical thinking since the COVID pandemic.

• Title and Purpose (00:01 - 00:24): Explanation of the episode's title, "What Happened to Critical Thinking?"

• Systematic Suppression (00:24 - 00:58): Insights into how narratives discouraged critical thinking over the past four years.

Climate Change and Corporations (00:58 - 07:44)

Summary: A reflection on a social media debate highlighting the interplay between corporate greed and climate change.

• The Debate on Threads (00:58 - 01:28): Recounting a discussion on climate change and human responsibility.

• Profits Over Humanity (01:28 - 03:29): Highlighting corporate greed and its dehumanizing effects.

• Breakdown of Corporate Impact (03:29 - 04:34): Analysis of how few corporations serve humanity.

• Climate Change Narratives (04:34 - 07:44): Critique of climate change framing as anti-human, with references to articles on the topic.

Echo Chambers and Blocking Culture (07:44 - 10:30)

Summary: Exploring the impact of blocking and echo chambers on personal growth and societal dialogue.

• Echo Chamber Trap (07:44 - 08:58): Explanation of how digital spaces reinforce narrow perspectives.

• Blocking and Weakness (08:58 - 10:30): The societal trend of avoiding challenging conversations.

Media Influence and Critical Thinking (10:30 - 14:25)

Summary: A critique of media’s role in diminishing critical engagement through manipulative narratives.

• Trust the Experts Narrative (10:30 - 11:36): Insights into media’s push to centralize trust in experts.

• Spectrums of Reality (11:36 - 14:25): Advocacy for discernment in evaluating media narratives.

Strategies for Reclaiming Critical Thinking (14:25 - 46:33)

Summary: Franklin offers methods for regaining critical thought and navigating modern narratives.

• SIFT Method Critique (14:25 - 23:33): Discussion of the limitations of the "SIFT" technique for evaluating information.

• Biases and Heuristics (23:33 - 41:19): Exploration of mental shortcuts like anchoring, availability, and affect heuristics.

• Critical Questions (41:19 - 46:33): Importance of questioning assumptions, evidence, and perspectives.

Conclusion: The Path Forward (46:33 - 48:45)

Summary: A call to reclaim critical thinking as a spiritual gift and resist manipulative narratives.

• Menticide and Gaslighting (46:33 - 47:19): Reflection on the psychological manipulation experienced during the pandemic.

• Discernment as a Gift (47:19 - 48:30): Emphasis on intuition and gnosis as tools for navigating reality.

• Call to Action (48:30 - 48:45): Encouragement to explore archived articles and join as a paid subscriber.

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Notes and References

• Articles Mentioned:

  • New York Times Article - “Don’t Go Down the Rabbit Hole”

  • “Profits Over People”

  • “The Comfort Cage of Our Modern Slave Plantation”

  • “Hurricane Helene Was Climate Warfare”

  • “Critical Thinking and Action Taking, Part 1”

  • “Critical Thinking and Action Taking, Part 2”

  • “Blocking People Is Weakening Your Personal Growth”

  • “The Complex Dichotomy of the Spectrum”

  • “The Three Key Methods to Decode Official Conspiracy Narratives”

  • “False Flags and Fake False Flags”

  • “Four Lessons That We (Should Have) Learned From the COVID-19 Pandemic”

  • “Why I Don’t Wear Masks”

  • “How "Trust the Science" Became "Question the Science"”

  • “Democide and Menticide”

  Podcast References:

  • “The Cost of Paying Attention”

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