How You Think

source: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/09/thinking-ladder.html

 Tim Urban has been putting out a great series of articles.  One idea that really stuck was to pay attention to how people think instead of what people think. How one thinks is more important than what one thinks. Are we thinking with our "higher mind" or our "primitive mind"? At the top of the spectrum we are open to opinions, even dissenting opinions, and seeking truth. At the bottom we are seeking confirmation of our ideas, attack opposition, and have little  evidence and thought structure to support our own ideas.

As the topics get more complex and as information changes even faster, the value of how we think increases over what we think. Thinking with our higher mind allows us to be make sure the best idea wins as well as making sure we let go of outdated ones as the times change.

This can also be applied to Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Observe what level you are making decisions at. "Let's go get some fast food" might be the lowest tier vs. "I'll let you choose where we eat because I want you to be happy" might be higher up the rung.

Whenever people are expressing ideas it may be helpful to consider the axis of how the person is thinking instead of the idea in itself.