In our modern society, the concept of independent thought is fast becoming obsolete. These days, anyone unsure of what to think about a certain issue can simply go online or turn on the television and a host of bloggers, pundits, and analysts are ready and willing to tell them where they should stand on an important topic. Although the Internet has made sharing one’s opinion much easier, it is also making it increasingly difficult to think for one’s self. The old fashion way of forming an opinion, by examining the facts and shaping an opinion from them, is under fire from a news media that wants to tell us not only what is happening but how we should feel about the unfolding events. Now more than ever, the ability to think for one’s self is an important skill and realize the importance of doing so.
The ability to think for one’s self is becoming a lost art today. Too many people take the easy way out and simply allow the majority to do their thinking for them. But thinking for one’s self has little to do with always going against the majority. Whether you side with the majority or not is less important than how you decided whom to side with. As long as you arrive at the conclusion by yourself and don’t allow yourself to be influenced by others, you are making the right decision. Aristotle once said “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”