We live in curious times. Our civilization is imbued with more knowledge — or, at least, more access to knowledge — than at any other point in human history. The good, the bad, the ugly, (1) virtually anything one can think of, can be found on the Internet. If there is a skill you wish to nurture, it is there. We are living in an age in which the very best of human insight and creativity can be brought forward and made accessible to all. Why, then, are we becoming increasingly less thoughtful and introspective?
If you simply take your own “straw poll,” you will quickly see that the average person is not utilizing their phone — a device that possesses more computing power than thousands of computers combined some twenty years ago — for intellectual growth. Instead, it is often used for mindless games and endless scrolling. (2) If you ask people about a philosophical or historical issue, you may receive, at best, a smirk and, at worst, a blank stare. With all our education and multifaceted degrees, we appear to be a thoughtless species hurtling toward ecological, economic, and spiritual catastrophe. How is this possible?
The answer, I believe, is straightforward. For whatever reason, there appears to be a social opprobrium against deep thought and reflective inquiry. It is as though our technological solutions have muted our intellect. Social media gives us answers before we’ve had the opportunity to analyze the questions.
History has a long trajectory. Our calamitous ups and downs have been mirrored by periods of awareness and openness. One need only to think of the Enlightenment (3) itself or the intellectually vibrant decades following the Second World War. (4) What moved humanity forward during these and many other periods was our collective capacity to think through crises and overcome them. Because of communal reflection, we advanced.
There was also a great deal of societal pride in cultivating and educating young minds. To be fair, often society has been highly stratified, and the finest education was usually reserved for the upper classes. Nevertheless, one reads of a vibrancy and hopefulness that imbued many of these positive periods in history. To think deeply about a problem was respected and admired.
Since the rise of the Internet some twenty years ago, however, more and more people have become formally educated, yet society appears to be thinking less and less. (5) A major example is the many wars that continue to plague the planet. Why is this type of militarism necessary in a thoughtful world? Many would argue that it is not.
The principal argument for armies and the military-industrial complex is always defense. We must be prepared to protect ourselves against aggressors. Yet did Gandhi help free India through revolution, war, or military force? (6) No. He convinced millions of Indians that they could be free and, in turn, persuaded the British Empire that India should be free. This means that meaningful societal change can occur through thoughtfulness and moral courage, not only through violence. The process must simply begin with me and with my choice to become a thoughtful human being. Socrates leaves us with a thought that has been paraphrased: I cannot teach anybody anything; I can only make them think.
A closing thought: The instability of the future is one of the major fears facing young people today. How will I earn a living? What is my purpose? What kind of world am I inheriting? These fears can only be addressed through thoughtfulness — through rationally engaging with the three great questions presented to every human being: Why am I here? What is my mission? What happens when I die? These questions can be privately explored through introspection, contemplation, and meditation. They require thought. Yet increasingly, this process is not occurring. Depression and anxiety appear to be rising because answering these questions requires us to stop the noise and confront ourselves.
Solutions are remarkably simple: Do not look at your phone for the first one or two hours of the day, intentionally stop the mindless scrolling, and write down your thoughts and ideas. Through daily reflection, you magnify your brilliance and diminish the incessant chatter of the “monkey mind.” Consciousness is a gift that many people possess, but like any capacity, if it is not exercised and strengthened, it diminishes and eventually ossifies. It becomes a deformed bush rather than the magnificent tree it was meant to be. (7) The wonderful aspect of thinking is that virtually everyone can begin at any time. Anyone can observe the natural world, reflect upon society, and examine their own life. This state of deep thought has the power to alter our collective consciousness and gradually change the world towards greater love, wisdom, and peace.
To sum up: This week, we spoke about the war on thought
To be noted: From Confucius in the Analects — Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.
This week, on your reflective walk, please think and reflect.
Every day, look for something magical and beautiful.
Don’t be a wage slave – critical thinking is great!
Quote: The capacity to think is your only true gift
Footnotes:
1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9EZGHcu3E8
2) https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/jan/02/smartphones-attention-economy-reclaim-free-time
3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmhP5DYhpRw
4) https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/new-global-power-after-world-war-ii-1945
5) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/opinion/technology-mental-fitness-cognitive.html