Attention and Critical Thinking

We currently live in an ever-changing world in which every day there seems to be a new trend, cool app or person to hate on, and it is for these reasons we need to adapt and learn new skills to navigate this new terrain of unpredictable foresight. The ability to engage in a rigorous and analytical thought process, as well as apprehend and internalise the value of our attention, are skills which need to be mastered for us to ensure our lives, spirits, and individuality don’t fall victim to the misinformation, propaganda and fake news we are exposed to daily.

What is Critical Thinking? 

Critical thinking is the ability to objectively analyse and evaluate information, arguments, and ideas. In Layman’s terms, critical thinking is the ability to practically use the theory one knows in discourse. In a world in which the rudimentary answers to essentially every question are available at our fingertips, the skill of critical thinking has seen its stock rise exponentially in value due to the information overload present in society. Advances in artificial intelligence have led and will continue to lead to the automation of many of our routine and mundane tasks, which have enhanced the intrinsic worth critical thinking possesses. The creation of newfound technologies doesn’t mean that there will be a lack of jobs as these new technologies will create new jobs; there will however be a lack of what I deem to be “monotonous jobs” in which all the intellect required for the said job is present wherever there is a mobile device and internet connection.

What is Attention?

Attention is the ability to focus on a task or stimulus while ignoring other distractions. It is an essential component of our cognitive processes and helps us to stay focused, complete tasks, and make decisions. However, in the age of technology and social media, our attention is constantly being diverted, and we find ourselves easily distracted. Every app on your phone or channel on DSTV competes with one another, fighting tooth and nail to get paid the currency of your attention, the gold of the 21st century. The personalised homepage, clickbait headlines and constant notifications are not there to keep you up to date on what your old friend John is doing, but rather to reel you into the rabbit hole of never-ending content so you can be fed more products, ads, and ideas in both a blatant and subliminal manner.

With each passing day, the role of technology in our daily lives grows exponentially as every day there seems to be new software or hardware which has the potential to make our life significantly easier or significantly harder. Will this trend ever change? I highly doubt but there are two elements of ourselves which we can ameliorate and refine to make this multifaceted phenom (Technology), a net positive instead of a net negative. 

1^st, refine your critical thinking skills, challenge yourself, challenge others and do not take everything you see, read, or hear at face value. Think for yourself, do your research, and listen to other points of view to understand and not argue, even if you profusely disagree.

2^nd, understand that your attention is a commodity, the gold standard of the 21^st century and companies are willing to do anything and everything to get it. Be selective with which apps you engage in and be aware of the app’s intentions. They may label themselves as “A way to reconnect with old friends”, but their endmost goal is to keep you on their app for as long as possible to feed you thoughts, ideas, ads, and products which will make them the most money.

If we can master these two skills, we can ensure our lives, individuality, and spirits don’t dissolve in the ocean of misinformation, propaganda, and fake news surrounding us for miles and miles.