Critical Thinking Archives

A close up of a Corgi "businessman" pointing to a large screen containing an x/y plot labelled "My Success" with a line that goes up and down before finally going up to the upper right of the plot.

Success Is Not a Straight Line – 7 Takeaways No. 283

Disaster & doomsday are imminent! Old and bold. Heresy becomes truth. Philosophy FTW! Perfectionism and judgement considered bad. Are you cognitively rigid? Just do it.

A doctor in his office with a number of smaller doctors visible peeking out of their vest pocket.

A Bunch of Specialists in Your Pocket – 7 Takeaways No. 282

Thinking clearly. Constant complaining. The skills to beat AI. The AI will see you now. You’re never f’ed. Simple media literacy. Simple evidence consideration.

a newspaper displaying a headline "Truth? Fiction? Lies? Manipulation? How do we know?"

Everything Feels Like Propaganda – 7 Takeaways No. 261

Your brain as a DDOS target. Use critical thinking, please. Feed yourself better content. Is it real, or a PR attempt? Convenience is weakening us. Speed versus accuracy. Keep your eyes on the near term prize.

a grumpy older man looking at a newspaper with the masthead "Great News!", and various positive story headlines.

More Complaining Than Gratitude – 7 Takeaways No. 258

Complain, complain. Be reasonable! AI will make us better? Stillness can be fear. No one is thinking. The value of diverse interests and friends. The universe is talkative.

I Am in Awe and Therefore I Wonder – 7 Takeaways No. 255

Mattering in the very long run. Word salad. Dealing with “those” people. Sometimes just listen. Awe and wonder. Acceptance as meditation. Acceptance as strategy.

a person distracted by looking at their phone walking towards a cliff while a disinterested AI robot stands nearby

It Won’t Be a Robot That Pushes Us Over – 7 Takeaways No. 245

Shared standards aren’t. Sanitizing yourself for others. Thank you! Dystopia is easy. Critical thinking is critical. PhD intelligence, not. Anger makes everything worse.

Focus on 24 Hours – 7 Takeaways No. 226

Lighten up. Personal entitlement. One day at a time. Genius ≠ asshole. Boredom vs. change. Lasting 6 minutes. You might be wrong.

A woodcut-style illustration of an optical illusion. The design includes intricate, repeating patterns and impossible shapes, such as twisting spirals and interlocking geometric forms, creating a mind-bending visual effect.

Our Eyes Routinely Deceive Us – 7 Takeaways No. 203

Simplistic thinking. Reality meets fiction. Perpetual discontent. Cynicism ain’t smart. Visual deception. Us versus them. Changing their minds.

Curiosity Is Life’s Superpower – 7 Takeaways No. 186

Making the effort. What’s real? Optimism in spite of it all. Curious? Making friends. Get off the couch. Fallacies are seductive.

A person standing in the doorway of a cozy, well-lit room, filled with books and an art easel, representing comfort and familiarity. The door is open, and through it, we see a vast, inviting landscape bathed in the warm light of a setting sun. This landscape features rolling hills, a winding path leading into the distance, and perhaps a few adventurous items like a typewriter and a pair of running shoes placed on the path, symbolizing new opportunities and adventures. The person is silhouetted against the bright outside, hesitating but curious, on the brink of stepping out to explore the unknown.

Your Comfort Zone Is Not Your Friend – 7 Takeaways No. 165

The tech behind podcasts (and this newsletter), awe, self-improvement, AI & phishing, evidence (real or otherwise), metaphors, and getting out of your comfort zone.