The exchange of ideas is something I actively seek on a regular basis. I often have thoughts on current events and seek out friends to have engaging discussions. Sometimes I post things on social media to stir the pot and read comments from people who may disagree with what I’ve said, but I regularly find many social media platforms to be echo chambers. There is too much agreement and not enough objections, challenge or questioning. I want to hear a different point of view on a particular topic to see if I am viewing things from all angles. Maybe I can learn a thing or two.
Nowadays, I have three or four people I can call. We talk about all kinds of things. I tend to enjoy phone discussions because it’s not online where there is a record of what was said. Another reason why phone conversations are better, in my opinion, is you can hear the intent of what is said. All too often, when you read text, you may miss any sarcasm or various emotion that might be expressed through a person’s voice.
When there is an exchange of sentiments, opinions and ideas, a lot can be learned. Whether the dialogue is written or oral, the give-and-take is enlightening. I find it somewhat of a mental exercise when I’m intellectually challenged. I want to see if what I’m thinking or feeling makes sense, or stands up to scrutiny.
I have a friend from high school that I’ve been chatting with for many years about all kinds of things. Music, family, marriage, politics, pop culture, books, movies and just about anything that happens in our country that eventually becomes big news. He, just like me, used to be biggest liberals on earth. We both still are to a certain degree, but the ideological left wing left us. He is a lot less liberal than me nowadays, and has been the person to challenge my ultra-liberal thinking over the years. I often put him to the test when I hear him defending more conservative/libertarian points of view, but it’s those kinds of exchanges where we have both learned things from each other and allowed ourselves to grow.
Your body won’t get stronger without resistance training and neither will your mind. Consider some intellectual cross training in your routine. Read the news from a different news outlet today. Watch a new cable news network (if you’re into that kind of thing). Practice debate techniques and take an opposing position and argue for it. You’ll be amazed at how your mind can work when properly challenged.
I never really understood why people choose to interact with people who only agree with their way of thinking. It’s like being part of a community where everyone acts, looks and thinks the same. I find that boring and incredibly uninteresting. Variety is the spice of life. Why not add that same flavor into the thoughts and information that enters your brain? It may be comforting to consume foods that are filled with sugar, salt and fat, but you must remind yourself that humans need water, fruits and vegetables to stay healthy. We also need to move our bodies to remain physically fit. Why not add some mind building information into your brain in the same way you’d eat foods that build healthy tissue? Change up your information diet. Use new info to cross train your thinking. You train your body, why not your mind?
Cross train your brain by choosing to discuss topics and questions by considering opposing arguments.
It’s worth it.
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Interesting articles you might want to read:
Horowitz: We now know that the majority who contract COVID-19 are asymptomatic. That changes everything. Entire contained or confined populations or those randomly sampled have now been tested, and the results all point to the same outcomes.
The rental car industry has ground to a near halt. This is what that means for automakers and car buyers - The nation’s rental car companies are in deep trouble. And that’s another blow for the already struggling auto industry.
“The inside story of the UK’s NHS coronavirus ventilator challenge” – The Government doesn’t come out of this Guardian investigation well
“Coronavirus lockdown could lead to nearly 1.5 million extra TB deaths, modelling study finds” – The story I referred to earlier, warning that lockdowns across the world have shut down TB treatment programmes which could lead to 1.4 million deaths
“Models versus Evidence” – Good piece in Boston Magazine about how the argument over the effectiveness of lockdowns reveals two competing approaches to acquiring scientific knowledge
“Scotland will not recommend NHS coronavirus tracing app until ‘confident that it works’” – More woes for the NHS app
“British Army goes back to training – but coronavirus measures keep tanks off limits” – Now would be a good time to invade, Vladimir
“Is this a life worth living – or merely an existence?” – Great column in the Telegraph by the peerless Allison Pearson
“Stress from virus response will destroy 7 times more years of life than lockdowns save: Study” – Another dog-bites-man piece, this one from the Washington Examiner
“Is the Cure Worse Than the Disease?” – A useful round-up of sceptical articles from Straight Line Logic
“Roadmap to Pandemic Resilience” – A guide to rebooting the US economy by Harvard’s Edmund J Safra Center for Ethics
“Virgin Atlantic cuts jobs in a fight for survival” – Virgin Atlantic has shut down operations at Gatwick Airport and laid off a third of its staff
“Why Precautionary COVID-19 Lockdowns Failed Humanity” – Good article by the Riskmonger on why governments around the world have become hamstrung by the precautionary principle
Separated at birth
What a great documentary. Nature vs. Nurture. Find a way to see this:
Clayton Craddock is an independent thinker, father of two beautiful children in New York City. He is the drummer of the hit broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University’s School of Business and is a 25 year veteran of the fast paced New York City music scene. He has played drums in a number of hit broadway and off-broadway musicals including “Tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical and Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar and Grill. In addition, Clayton has worked on: Footloose, Motown, The Color Purple, Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, Evita, Cats, and Avenue Q.