Are You a Discretionary Thinker? Your Choices may be Killing You
By Les Luton
The following is a consideration of how flawed logic and incorrect information adversely influences the decision making
process. The quality of your decisions is directly related to the quality of your life. It's supremely important to
consider and make good decisions about your quality of life!
As consumers of everything from a brand of religion to the news, from junk food to health products, much more is on the
line than we may realize. Every day our quality of life is being compromised by unfortunate and very
unnecessary circumstances. The truth is we are victims of our own lack
of discretionary thinking, more than we realize or want to admit.
To a noteworthy degree, the fact that most people lack discretionary thinking skills is no accident. The education system
including higher education, many religious views, the government, large institutions, the media in general and specifically
the news and media demagogues do an effective job at turning off discretionary thinking.
We are continually told both what to think and how to think by many so-called "authoritativequot; sources. These entities often
present themselves as the final arbitrators of morality and reality. Unfortunately, way too often, their motivation is
money, power or some other misguided agenda but not your best interests.
Very often the information we're given by the above is irrelevant, unnecessarily complex, false and paralyzing. The
information we do need to make good decisions is simply suppressed or strategically rationed out. Knowledge is used as
a powerful tool of exploitation on the uninformed and disadvantaged. It'sno
accident that we end up making less than optimal decisions about numerous important things in our lives, costing us
and our loved ones dearly while inappropriately benefiting others greatly.
Many are being taken advantage of because of their lack of discretionary thinking skills. The world around us is full of:
- Political systems that work off of legalized bribery,
- Abusive legislation and taxation,
- Hundreds of dysfunctional, if not dangerous, religious views,
- Countless products that rape both the environment and consumers,
- An education system that effectively breeds complacency,
- A stock market that continually makes billions of investor's dollars instantly disappear with no real explanation,
- A criminal justice system that is a revolving door for criminals,
- Countless individuals from all walks of life who insist they have all the answers but really are clueless,
- A health care system that makes large pharmaceutical and health care companies hundreds of billions in profits each year yet leaves the average person paying hundreds of dollars a month for substandard health care,
- Our national resources, that we all own, being used for scandalous profit and exploitation by large corporations,
- A myriad of media sources that continually exploit our fears and weakness but give very little useful, empowering information,
With a little thought, the above list could be greatly expanded. Every day millions upon millions are being taken advantage
of by an illusion that looks, sounds and feels good but simply is not healthy, right or based on reality.
When an individual lacks discretionary thinking skills, the blame cannot be completely placed on the above factors.
People are often unwitting victims of the fallacies in their own thinking. Cognitive laziness, intensely holding on to
preconceived ideas (schemas), and an unhealthy predisposition to rely on inductive thinking (based on emotions, past
experiences and situational chance)
over deductive reasoning (based on known facts, truths and laws) all
play a major roll in leading individuals to false conclusions and less than desirable choices.
The Criteria and Consequences of Choices
Considering the magnitude of the problem and the fact that the quality of your life is on the line, there is great merit
in considering why and how you think and reason the way you do. In the following, a consideration is made of some of the
dynamics that influence the decision making process.
Choices Containing Error
Error is anything that influences you to understand something in the world in a way that is false, inaccurate, incomplete,
etc. Error is a problem for many obvious reasons but two stand out. Error taints emotions in a way that leads an
individual to unwittingly feel in an unhealthy way about someone or something. Often individuals erroneously believe that
what their emotions are telling them is reality.
Secondly, error negatively influences the quality of choices, either diminishing the rate of return on a choice or worse
producing consequences that are harmful to the individual and/or others.
Error (in thinking) leads an individual from point A: well intending and in good standing, to point B: depression, drug
use, crime, divorce, health issues, financial problems, suicide, failure etc. Error also blocks an individual from moving
to point C: freedom from the problems associated with point B.
Error blocks us from recognizing either something good or dangerous about someone or something. Error often leads us to
make
assumptions about others and ourselves that simply are not true resulting
in unnecessary harm.
Choices Based on Reality
Reality, by definition, is that which is factual, actual and true. When choices, which are influenced directly by
cognitive processes, are based on reality the health and well being of an individual are optimized. Reality is based on
what is true. Truth has a number of interesting qualities including but not limited to: being testable and provable by
any reasonable individual, transcending time and circumstance, and being a necessary element in freedom of mind, body,
soul and spirit. The degree, amount or quality of truth used in a decision directly determines the rate of return on that
decision (barring extraneous variables). Truth and reality are inseparable. Laws
and corresponding absolutes appear to be the most accurate way to understand reality. Valid laws may even be
considered absolute truth.
If the above is true, there appears to be great merit in accurately identifying and understanding the laws that govern
reality. With a proper understanding of various laws comes the ability to explain and predict, which leads to power
to avoid the negative and benefit from the positive. For example, if an individual is governed by health laws,
economic laws, social laws, spiritual laws, physical laws, etc. then their understanding and cooperation with those laws
will, barring external variables, have a positive impact on the quality of life experienced.
Laws that Govern Reality Must be Considered
If an individual eats more than is necessary or eats inappropriate food, the consequence over time will be obesity, heart
disease, diabetes, etc. If an individual fails to get adequate sleep, the result will be impaired judgment and reflexes
to the degree they are sleep deprived. If an individual spends more money than they make, in time the result will be
despairing and perhaps ruinous debt. If an investment is made on false information the most likely result will be loss
of investment capital. If an individual allows others (the media, a religious theology, etc) to do their thinking for
them, then most likely the will be put in a disadvantaged position. If an individual intentionally violates another's
legitimate rights, the consequences could very well be social isolation, a civil suit or even jail.
Conversely, if the laws that govern an individual are accurately identified and honored, then, barring external variables,
a person should be reasonably expected to enjoy good health, wealth and happiness. If the above is true, there should be
a direct correlation for all of society as a whole.
Consider the following comparative list:
|
Theory versus Reality Speculation versus Reality Opinion versus Reality Emotions versus Reality Assumption versus Reality Theologies versus Reality Philosophies versus Reality Ideologies versus Reality Preconceived Ideas versus Reality Schemas versus Reality |
Advice versus Reality Curriculum versus Reality The Media versus Reality Institution versus Reality Politics versus Reality Demagogue versus Reality Religious leader versus Reality Authority verses Reality Image versus Reality Etc. versus Reality |
Note that the first idea suggested often has little if anything to do with reality and truth. Yet, individuals are
seduced with a false impression of reality that is greatly harmful to them and others. Obviously, error comes from a wide
variety of sources. Consequently, being on guard by testing and proving everything relevant is always to an individual's
best interests. Testing and proving involves honestly and thoroughly considering why something may be true, as well as
equally considering why it may not be true.
Perhaps one of the most significant statements in the whole Bible is when Christ said quot;truthquot; sets individuals free.
He did not say that any of the above listed had the power to set people free. In fact he warned about buying into many of
the dangers listed. Many other noteworthy individuals throughout history have said the same thing about quot;truthquot;. The
scientific method, legitimate forms of argumentation plus the laws of inalienable rights and due process are based on the
supreme importance of quot;truthquot; as well.
In Conclusion
Being a discretionary thinker is challenging because an individual has to stop and honestly look at why and how they think
the way they do. Perhaps a better way to say it is, they have to honestly consider the thinking that makes up their
thinking.
Most people are unaware of how highly biased they are by their feelings,
assumptions and past experiences. Human nature leads many to be enamored and fixated on why they're right but
dangerously off balance when it comes to considering other alternatives or why they may very well be wrong!
Consequently, honestly considering the thinking that makes up their thinking is truly challenging.
What many fail to realize is if they would have been born into different
social, religious and educational circumstances, their view of them themselves and others would almost certainly be
substantially different. Having a different view would, in profound ways, influence perceptions of reality, feelings
and quality of decisions made. This factual observation cannot be overstated!
Amazingly, many think they're special above everyone else because of their unique circumstances and/or view of God.
Unfortunately, their limited, often self-centered view is a liability to themselves and a major driver of many of the
social ills that afflict society. Millions of individuals are living with something that looks, feels and sounds like
freedom but it is an amazingly well done illusion of freedom.
Reality very often is not what we truly think and feel it is. Obviously,
if we had a better grip on reality we would be on a tropical beach right now enjoying an exotic drink (humor intended).
In a practical sense, if a decision is made using inductive reasoning it may produce a good result or it may not. With
inductive reasoning an individual is immensely more likely to be punished by quot;the law of unforeseen consequencesquot;.
The tendency for choices to produce unforeseen consequences is especially true if the choices that were made used
flawed logic or incorrect
information.
In comparison, if a decision is made using deductive reasoning the odds are greatly enhanced that the rate of return on
that decision will be optimal. Deductive reasoning demands that our decisions be made on testable and provable truth,
facts and laws not on our feelings, assumptions and past experiences.
Thinking outside of the paradigm box of preconceived reality is TRULY challenging but often very necessary for success to
be realized.
Ultimately, our interest level in using discretionary reasoning and logic in the decision making process determines the
quality of our decisions. The quality of our decisions determines the quality of our lives. It's supremely important
to consider and make good decisions about your quality of life!
Please send questions or comments to teachluton@hotmail.com