Unintelligent thinking is often taught and perpetuated, undermining the promotion of critical analysis and independent thought. Many educational systems, media outlets, and cultural influences reinforce narrow-minded, superficial, and biased thinking instead of encouraging intellectual curiosity and diverse perspectives.
Educational systems frequently prioritize rote memorization over critical thinking, training students to regurgitate information rather than question it. This method stifles intellectual curiosity and discourages the exploration of diverse viewpoints, which are crucial for intelligent thought.
Media outlets contribute to this problem by focusing on sensationalism and profitability. The cycle of sound bites and clickbait headlines reduces complex issues to simplistic binaries, encouraging a culture of snap judgments and discouraging in-depth understanding. Similarly, cultural and social influences further entrench unintelligent thinking. Individuals often conform to the prevailing views of their social groups, perpetuating stereotypes and prejudices. Social media exacerbates this by creating echo chambers where misinformation and biased opinions are reinforced.
The undervaluation of critical disciplines like science education starkly illustrates this issue. For instance, a science teacher paid lesser than a driver in salary, despite their crucial role in shaping inquisitive and analytical minds, is a striking example of undervaluation of intelligent thinking. This salary discrepancy reflects a broader societal devaluation of intellectual pursuits in favor of roles perceived as more immediately impactful. As highlighted in the news item “Where does Nagaland place its educational value?” published by this newspaper, this imbalance signals a systemic issue where intellectual development is undervalued.
To address this trend, it is essential to emphasize critical thinking, media literacy, and open-mindedness in both education and daily life. We can build a society where intelligent thinking prevails only when we create an environment that values thoughtful inquiry and diverse perspectives. The responsibility to promote and uphold these values rests with educators, media professionals, and each of us.