Whatever happened to…thinking?

It’s been my recent observation that one of the most profound things human beings do, and that separates us from the animal kingdom, is on the decline. Without veering into politics—is that even possible these days?—and pointing fingers, I’ve noticed people, human beings, have ceased to think. I do work in an industry that puts me in contact with humans of myriad socio-economic, educational, and cultural differences, and yes, there can be a difference because of that, but overall, I do not find people thinking. Instead, they seem to want you, or me, to do their thinking for them. I’m still puzzled, because this is not just about which stock to buy, or which shirt would be better for them, but about decisions that affect only them, and do not, in any way, affect me at all, except that they want, or need, someone else to do this for them.

It’s as if a large percentage of the population suddenly decided it’s just too much effort for them to make their own decisions, so they need to find a thought-surrogate.
We are, indeed, living in a time where everyone is ‘special’ in some way; a world where someone with a catchy idea, or thoughts that resonate with a certain group can be a Social Media Star! And for those of you that might poo-poo this idea, yes, you, or they, in this case, can, indeed make money by doing this. It is also a world where everyone is an ‘exception’—if not exceptional—and the ‘rules,’ whatever they might be, do not apply to them. They become really agitated and possibly abusive when you point out that the ‘rules’ are for everyone, and they’re no exception. The concept of creating societal rules—of etiquette, of speaking, of driving a car, of treating other people well—is to reinforce that in some way, we all need to get along at some level, and there needs to be a common agreement about things like how to navigate in traffic, for example. You don’t need to invite everyone you meet to your house for dinner, but you need to find a way to make your way through the world without inconveniencing or offending everyone who crosses your path.

Asking questions, very simple questions that can be answered with little thought is sometimes how I negotiate this phenomenon when at work. ‘How have you done this before?’ ‘What was the best result you had when you did that?’ ‘If we do that, will the probable outcome make you happy?’ It sometimes feels like I’m talking to a very young child who hasn’t experienced very much of life, and is still learning to make his or her way through this world. While this is okay on an occasional basis, to ask your fellow humans to constantly simplify EVERTHING for you is ridiculous. Yes, ridiculous. I’m not your dad, I’m not your priest, rabbi, etc. I’m not your personal assistant. I am also not, as you may have picked up by now, a particularly patient person when it comes to these situations. It’s part of my learning curve to learn patience, and I am doing so. I suppose then, that I need to thank this current situation, however temporary it may be in my life, for teaching me patience, empathy, and understanding beyond what I ever thought was possible. And I take it up as my personal quest to find a way through this that I can share, and bring a new, different degree of understanding to others.