Could Teaching Critical Thinking Abilities, End Cult Mind-Conrol Forever?

by lifelong humanist 66 Replies latest jw experiences

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  lifelong humanist

  In my mind, every child that undergoes an education system, whether it be a within the family, a basic pre-school kindergarten type structure, within a monitored school curriculum environment itself, or, as part of a further education programme, the emphasis should be on teaching people how to think critically, and for the common good of all.

  If this was indeed the case, probably very few would succumb to mind-control techniques later on in life. Cults would struggle to dupe and recruit new members. The cult leaders themselves, would derive little benefit from their evil mind games.

  I'm convinced that high mind-control cults clearly know, and acknowledge that they need to repeatedly recruit new members to maintain their cultish behaviour. I can testify to the fact that being raised in a third generation JW family, this can often produce seriously unbalanced people. Left untreated, unbalanced people can lead to an unbalanced society. An unbalanced society leads to all sorts of expensive, social problems.

  Wouldn't it simply be better for a modern society to educate young people to just think critically? After all, 'prevention is better than cure'. With the exception of the mind-controlled cult leaders, everyone would be a winner, and society would generally be much better off.

  What do you think?

  lifelong humanist
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  SweetBabyCheezits

  "For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root." - Thoreau

  Humanist, I absolutely agree. To me, the teaching of critical thinking skills to children, early and often, is the best long-term plan for humanity. In fact, I personally think most of man's suffering stems from a lack of CT.

  I wonder where we would be if the entire population seriously questioned their own thinking instead of proudly upholding the presuppositions inherited from family, community, or other environment... and which promote prejudice, fear, and hate.

  Unfortunately, it seems that getting the general population to back a critical-thinking-emphasized gradeschool cirriculum would be a massive hurdle. Those who are deeply religious rarely want their children to question their beliefs. Too many fundamentalists would regard critical thinking as a tool of the devil. (See this thread from yesterday for prime example.)

  Reminds me of Clarence Darrow's words... “Just think of the tragedy of teaching children not to doubt.”
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  SweetBabyCheezits

  That was my soapbox in this thread, too:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/198833/2/BREAKING-NEWS-on-www-jw-media-org
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  jgnat

  There's an organization for that. http://www.criticalthinking.org/ It's vision inspired me enough to purchase some of their materials. The materials are dorky, though. They need some decent youtube clips for this new generation.
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  Mad Sweeney

  This is one of the things that really frustrates me. Critical thinking is so important and commitment to belief often so detrimental and yet belief and justification seem to keep winning.

  If anyone can find more links and resources about critical thinking please post them.
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  PSacramento

  Critical thinking is so important and commitment to belief often so detrimental and yet belief and justification seem to keep winning.

  Why do you think that is?

  Could it be because the more you critically think about something the more you realize that there may not be an answer so for soem there is "comfort" in an "answer"?

  Could it be because soem associate critical thinking with disbelief?

  Could it be because critical thinking poses more questions than it answers?

  Could it be the after thinking critically about soemthing ( anythign really) that you see that critical thinking only gets you so far?
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  VIII

  Even with critical thinking etc., people would still get caught up in cults and other groups like that. As PSac noted, critical thinking only gets you so far. There are emotions, psychology, past experiences, and on and on that influence human behavior.

  Why are there educated JWs and Scientologists?
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  VIII

  As an added note to this:

  My sister is dying--she will be going into a hospice soon. She is an affirmed atheist (DFd JW). Suddenly, after being told people are praying for her, JWs and Christians in general, she is saying "thank you" and saying maybe there is a God.

  That is how critical thinking works. It goes out the window when emotions and other things happen.
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  Snoozy

  Vlll, that's not such a bad thing you know...

  Funny things happens to the mind when you are dying that we will never truly understand. Maybe they have a better insight to spiritual matters than we do.

  As far as the critical thinking goes, I think it wou dbe a great idea but I would suggest they look for kids that are displaying signs of being followers or loners..

  JMO..

  Snoozy
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  Mad Sweeney

  Could it be because the more you critically think about something the more you realize that there may not be an answer so for soem there is "comfort" in an "answer"?

  Comfort is part of it, but it has nothing to do with realizing there may not be an answer. It is that finding answers requires EFFORT and TIME. Work is uncomfortable. Delaying gratification is uncomfortable.

  Could it be because soem associate critical thinking with disbelief?

  Possibly, sometimes, but that is usually because they misdefine the word "critical," and not because of anything true or real about critical thinking. In my experience, most people who believe easy answers rather than think critically are too intellectually lazy to even formulate the question you ask.

  Could it be because critical thinking poses more questions than it answers?

  No, I don't think so.

  Could it be the after thinking critically about soemthing ( anythign really) that you see that critical thinking only gets you so far?

  Not usually. The people who refuse to think critically have usually never even given it a chance.