Think for yourself

I often hear this expression, especially from people who want to assert their own independence and superiority. I like to think for myself, I don’t need (you, the media, the government, a guru) to tell me what to think.

But in reality we cannot think in isolation from others. From the moment we are born, our thoughts emerge from endless interactions with our surroundings, other people, our culture and society. We develop a worldview, which in turn affects and conditions what and how we think.

This is why we can be so easily manipulated.

To avoid being manipulated, we need is to exercise [[ critical thinking ]], which is best done in conversation with others.

So the best way to ‘think for oneself’ is to think with others, really.