How Not To Be Stupid - A Guide To Critical Thinking

[GladForGladius]

Remember, you don't want to know to much.

[GladForGladius]

You actually used obama for "people who run our country"!?!?!?!? WOW!!!

[HolliValsMusic]

I'm both, either or neither, depending on so many factors I don't bother to find out...

[ParaPsyopticNerve]

lol "truth seekers"-So what about FACTS??

[PowerfulSplicer]

lol at the onion clips

[tinacurrie]

I am a Christian and all I can say is this is a cult and this is what cults do to people. They loose all ability to think for themselves and just parrot whatever crazy, cruel nonsense they have been brainwashed to say! I just feel for the children caught up in this cult!

[OneWayProduct]

Great title, bad jokes. Not enough hard insults.

[G3org3Master]

Also, this is not well made. It is just blurting out nonsense in an illogical way. OK, it may make sense, but sounds very convoluted. Try again.

[G3org3Master]

uuh no there are a lot of critical thinkers. It's just there are few who are very very good at it. Maybe the way we have been brought up in society hasn't allowed us learn critical thinking.

[frabjous79]

ad Hominem, not ad hominim

[kandtell]

@6:02 - Oh it's a key!

[monazoom]

I clocked out at "critical thinking is for the elite few..." I can't stand that patronizing tone

[MrErocdar]

Critical thinkers don't call themselves or others stupid. That is judgmental and unproductive in the evolution of ourselves and each other. Bullshit.

[MrErocdar]

what a bunch of bullshit. "Man in his natural state is lazy, self centered, illogical, unreasonable, selfish, prone to delusion, magical thinking, wishful thinking, self deception. Critical thinkers are aware of these pitfalls of human fallibility."Man in his natural state is driven for survival and evolution. It's the current state of society and all its brain washing negative conditioning elements that cause these not so attractive traits in human beings.

[ProjectLifeCommand]

Critical thinking should be mandatory upon high school graduation, and those that fail should be taken to death camps or at least never allowed to participate in society.

[TayTayBonaynay5]

i like that dude's mustache though :)

[TayTayBonaynay5]

i really need this video.......... :)

[DeNi3Lv2]

I think I'm a little of both.

[john42t]

"It's either A or B" sounds a lot like "It's either A or not", Aristotle's law of the excluded third - which is, of course, not really disputeted. There are people who try to muddy the waters with allowing contradictions, so I'm giving Wishful Thinker at 6:30 the benefit of the doubt here. Part of this video sounds like sheer scepticism.

[john42t]

"Suspending judgement is a practice of the strong minded"? I wonder what is meant by that - suspending it until you reached a conclusion? Or beyond that?

[Wrath0fKhan]

@john42t

I think what they mean is suspending judgment until the truck runs "you" over. ;-)

[TraumaChaos]

You had me until "want to be sober". I'm a critical thinker, and the only way I avert my murderous rampages are by the constant and systematic dulling of my senses.

[dgrhm08]

It would have been fun at the end if the people who starred in the video looked at each other a la the Brady Bunch. :)

[RUBENSolol]

I think this video doesn't make a very good job, advocating critical thinking.

"I'd like to live in a magical land of candy and unicorns." Who wouldn't. Doesn't make me a wishful thinker.

[wxtrim]

@RUBENSolol It's referring to the idea that wishful thinkers prefer to run from reality!

[RUBENSolol]

@wxtrim I understand what they tried to say, but they could be more accurate and not so smug about it.

[in2dionysus]

Why is truth apart of reality? Critical thinking is probably the last thing that is happening; can it be concluded? Time could be critical thinking, you cannot change it; only put as much in it before it gets too long to be objective! Decisiveness is too much of a pedestal to stand on; reason gained can also be reason lost. Fate is the only prayer giver; yet mostly people who prey do not understand the objective they start on - I stand as the minotaur, please try to get by me; reason stands too-

[thechessstick]

I became a "critical" thinker and got over the government brainwashing I suffered in their indoctrination centers. After independent research and applying reason I gave up Darwinism and became a born again Christian. You guy should all become "critical" thinkers. Young Earth Creationism is most definitely the answer!

[Blargaha]

@thechessstick Good for you, however, as a critical thinker, I reject your conclusions for me and form my own. I see on the evidence that darwinian evolution took place, and form my opinion after that. I see no evidence of any government brainwashing, why should I then believe it?

[thechessstick]

@Blargaha You need to keep looking.

[Blargaha]

@thechessstick And that is the standard response from the wishful thinker, "you did not come to the same conclusion as I did, thus, you must be wrong".

[noston382]

"sober rather than drunk"

well shit. *closes window*

[HealthyCabbie]

Test



[lordcodicus]

Stupid is the wrong word, ignorance is the one they should have used. I don't think I am stupid, but I am ignorant, as we all are, and acknowledge that. And thus that acknowledgement is a sign of superior intelligence, the recognition that we know a very small percentage of things in the totality of the universe, instead of thinking that we know everything because a religious book tells us. The most incompetent people are the most overconfident of their knowledge and abilities.

[SubconsciousGatherer]

The video is fantastic. One suggestion: Instead of just changing from "WISHFUL THINKER" to "CRITICAL THINKER" on the shirts, how about also changing their color from red ("WISHFUL THINKER") to green ("CRITICAL THINKER")?

[modshroom]

@SubconsciousGatherer

that is a silly and completely pointless.

you can read, you should be able to tell who is wearing the wishful thinking shirt and who is wearing the critical thinking shirt.

[SubconsciousGatherer]

@modshroom "that is a silly and completely pointless"... (what?)

Yes, I can read, but that's beside the point. The red would give urgency to the idea of STOPPING the wishful thinking, and green would give urgency to the idea of GO with the critical thinking. Do you really think criticizing my suggestion was the best way to respond to my comment?

[modshroom]

@SubconsciousGatherer

do you really think these guys are going to re-shoot and re-edit and ultimately end up re-uploading a video just to change the color of their shirts?

be logical bro. that's a silly "suggestion"

[SubconsciousGatherer]

@modshroom I never implied for them to redo anything on THIS video, but they may very well make something similar in the future. It was just a comment. Don't take it personally. It wasn't aimed at you, and if you missed the spirit in which I wrote it then I'm sorry. I *did* start out by saying "The video is fantastic," so it's not like I'm here to rip them a new one.

[kingquadroon]

That chics nose is HUGE.

[ApostateOfTheDamned]

"i'd like to live in a magical land of candy and unicorns." :O thats a wishful thinker, who the hell wouldn't like to live in a land with unicorns and candy?

[TheWarriorcasey]

my dad sent me here....... I'm gunna kill him.

am I stupid? yes

[marah736]

Is Neil Otte related to Aronra?

[uriituw]

Awesome.

This reminds me of Mind Control Made Easy.

[fattigbonddrang]

i am proud to say that i am a critickal thinker... :)

[coprographia]

sometimes i'm so rational it just makes me cum over and over

[ZeerosFate]

I'm a critical thinker. Therefore I don't vote.

[creationistcat]

Diss is pretty awesome. Added 2 my faves. Thankyou you 4 making diss awesome video you freaking godless sodomite!!!

[WeEatBrainz]

@creationistcat CREATIONIST CAAAAAAAAAT

[lolertep]

As much as I agree with lots of what this video says, this video is a blatant example of an either/or fallacy (which is ironically makes mention of at 6:19). However, I don't agree with the idiot with the top rated comment that thinks that some of the "wishful thinkers" had valid criticisms. If anyone thinks that they did, feel free to contest me on that.

[blade004]

A great video but by the end of i end up thinking "Is anything that i think right or relevant and are my experiences worthy within opinion?".

[julzabro]

Excellent!

[ghostlyatheist]

top left, david icke, lol

[hippiegirlsmile]

I'll never be much of a critical thinker. eh.

[MsMaggieOC]

Unfortunately, it seems the world rewards stupidity. Maybe it's better just to act stupid.

[Dathinkingman]

wow a video about critical thinking and throws ad hominems by calling non-critical thinkers as stupid

[Dodec84]

@Dathinkingman how would you define "stupid"

[pat5168]

@Dathinkingman Critical Thinking doesn't have any relation to insults given. 

[pat5168]

@Pegasusdigital Hold it son, lokos wankies is beyond my vocabulary, and what makes them stupid? It's acting.

[Pegasusdigital]

@pat5168 I just erased it. Yet I haveto say their vid is abit exagerated.

1st.Nowdays thereare I.Qtests

2nd.Nowdays thereare productivity diagrams onworkplaces

3d.Nowdays thereare Univercities that givemarks.

If I pass an I.Q test with a highmark, I m themost productiveemploee at work or the beststudent on a Univercity will these ppl tellme Im stupid?It s easy to see who is the best.Theywant to define theLAWMAKERS, the legalframe of theirsociety.Theygo too far.They re askingforPOWER.

[pat5168]

@Pegasusdigital You can still be intelligent on what they quiz you on or what you work with and still be a wishful thinker. Even then you wouldn't be stupid but you'd be unrealistic and untrustworthy. It's deceitful to believe that something you want to happen should take precedence over what is likely.

Critical thinking is a good thing, it stops manipulation and makes people analyze the actual situation. Are you saying that's a bad thing? Are you saying lawmakers should go on intuition?

[Pegasusdigital]

@pat5168 ok but who is going to judge if my thinking is critical? A bunch of actors? Who ? If I have a high I.Q and I m the best student in a univercity is that not enough? Anyway I ll think it over and try to understand what you mean.

[pat5168]

@Pegasusdigital No one will except yourself. It's difficult to come by, but you will surely recognize it when you do.

[tehnubster69]

Critical thinking is for ass holes

[Seaoftea]

Strong man is the best. Fact.

[MestreJonas2000]

According to great philosophers, as Nietzsche, there are no facts. There is only interpretation. Of course, he could be wrong - but one must choose to believe him or not, because there is no way to prove. The conclusion is that the Critical Thinker is also a Wishful Thinker. That's the only gap in this video. A very important mistake.

[MsMaggieOC]

@MestreJonas2000 Science proves certain philosophers like Nietzsche wrong. There are absolutes and absolute facts. Arguments aside, you have to start digging deep into folly if one starts saying "it's only opinion the earth goes around the sun, the sky is blue, your heart beats, you are alive,...etc", come now, there are facts......Yes, there is an objective reality.

[MestreJonas2000]

@MsMaggieOC Sorry to disagree with you. Interpretation and opinion is not the same thing. The rotation of the earth around the sun is not an opinion, it is an interpretation. It depends on a certain way to understand the world that is socially formed. That sentence "there is an objective reality" is not a scientific statement. It is an important assumption, but it is not a fact to be proven. Almost like "there is a god" or "there is not a god".

[MsMaggieOC]

@MestreJonas2000 An objective reality is scientific. there is a difference between fact and opinion. Like say, "there is a god" is not the same as "i'm going to jump out the window of this highrise and it's only an opinion I'll be splattered like a watermelon".

So what you are saying is that it is only an opinion that death is real. Sorry, it's a fact, you will die, and so will I. There IS a reality in the universe. "Everything is subjective" and "the only reality is that which I observe"? no.

[MsMaggieOC]

@MsMaggieOC "The earth goes round the sun and the sun is a star among many inside one among many galaxies" is not the same as "There is a god".Action, reaction and product is a fact.The way we percieve time is subjective, time itself, however, everything goes on a timeline, stars, just like all life, has a birth, a life, and a death, this is real.All's perception but eventually has to come to a "right" conclusion. A wise man once said that the best reaction to some philosophies is just to laugh

[MestreJonas2000]

@MsMaggieOC Sorry, I did not say that. I believe that scientific knowledge helps us to make good questions more than give answers. One of the principles for scientific analyses is the principle of doubt. Critical thought is about doubting easy answers and common sense. What is death? it depends on the definition you and the society you live gives to it. You are based on common sense of death, not on science. Oh, and "splattered like a watermelon"?! definitely not a scientific statement... lol

[emmalaila]

fuck the law

[Encephalitisify]

I battle against laziness everyday. Apparently, this separates me from many people at work, lol.

[CosmicDamian]

Yawn.



[hommhommhomm]

This video is a great example of how to create a cult.

[mavaddat]

It would've been nice if the critical thinkers and the wishful thinkers had different colour shirts. Otherwise, great video!

[alternanick]

Given that this video ought to be sent to wishful thinkers, I think 2 fallacies will alienate the "wishful" audience.

"Apophenia of superstition" is kind of insulting to the viewer. Nobody says "A must have caused B because A came before B." This is an general description of superstition but no one will think "I always do that!"

The "either/or fallacy" is a bit difficult to recognize in the self. I dont think the average wishful thinker watching will identify themselves this within themselves.

[glenn80525]

This video makes me feel good, so it must be true!

It's so well done - no one would waste time doing it so well if it wasn't completely factual.

[H0tkebab]

Stupid people don't care about their intelligence. =D

[SoulSnatchaz]

lol @ overexxageration of the wishful thinkers 

[Alejandroenfuego]

Every high school student should be required to watch this video and write a paper on it before graduating. Every person applying for citizenship should also be required to watch it. And every person who registers to vote should be required to watch it at least every 4 years.

[Smithpolly]

I agree with a lot of what's in the video though it is does come across as being a bit smug. Still I can be a little smug myself at times and I'm still adorable. However, I think it's worth looking at Antonio Damasio's work on the value of emotions in making decisions.

[TheVoiceOfEye]

Excellent piece! I would love to get the transcript to this short! My only criticism is that I wish the "Critical Thinkers" and the "Wishful Thinkers" were wearing different colored t-shirts so that I am not distracted by having to read the shirt each time a person begins to speak.

[DoctorTopper]

Wishful Thinker: This video is absolutely right. I agree, and feel like its better to be completely objective & not believe things unless they're proven by several unbiased sources with empirical evidence.

Critical Thinker: Video contrasts critical thinkers/wishful thinkers. Critical thinkers presented as completely objective & wishful thinkers as immature. Video presents no other categories.

My opinion: Some good points, BUT... why does it seem to imply that individual experience is foolish?

[pat5168]

@DoctorTopper Because no matter how convinced you are of something, without indicative evidence, you must admit to the possibility of being wrong and that you only believe it. Seeing is believing, but believing is not knowing.

[DoctorTopper]

@pat5168 Well, for evidence I have the miracles in my own life, and the nation of Israel is also another shining example. You can also check out drcraigvideos channel.

I'm just saying that this video is hypocritical and is more brainwashing than informative.

[thethirdchimp]

@DoctorTopper

your comment single-handedly validates the need for this video, nice job.

[GrowTheTruth]

@DoctorTopper Because individual experience is bias. What happened to you might not happen to everyone.

For example, if a woman's husband got drunk and beat her. A wishful thinker says, "my husband was a alcoholic and beat me, so therefore alcohol makes people abusive". A critical thinker says, "my husband was an alcoholic and beat me, but not everyone who drinks alcohol will be abusive".

Wishful thinkers often use personal experience as fact instead of opinion.

[nckdgmzsax]

If you need to watch a video to learn why you should be a critical thinker, well....

[Lacocacolaman]

yes, to be smart you must first be stupid? wait, that's stupid in and of itself! STUPID VIDEO!

[hotpopcorncake]

@Lacocacolaman But that was being a wishful thinker ?

[windowsforvista]

I might be overlooking something, but I already do all that stuff. I must be some kind of genius or something

[Acsited]

Good video.

Is that mustached man somehow related to Jamie Hyneman? The Critical Thinker one.

[Acsited]

@Acsited Neil Otte

[PRDMRE]

By far the best video on You-tube

As a dog trainer, this has got to be the best dog training video on You tube.

This video is so relevant, and insightful to politics today, I am surprised it has not been banned from You-tube by extremists of both sides.

It should be a training video for any kind of class pertaining to anything.

[saginPhx]

Boring

[pn109a]

liked and faved, this video is GENIOUS

[RickWolff]

I wish the arguments for wishful thinking didn't sound as laughably absurd as they do here. Wishful thinking is a rut that well-meaning people fall into without realizing it. They may be wishfully thinking, but not be able to identify with the equivalent characters here. By definition, critical thinkers are those who have…though about it, and gleefully identify. Because they're the "good guys" here.

Also, couldn't the different thinkers be given different color T-shirts? (Too late now.)

[cynicinaminute]

Should I be critical thinking while watching this? Because it was made by a "stupid" man. Though I do like it. Sometimes you want to scream at some people!

[GodsModerate]

"I think that I make the wisest decisions when I'm exhausted and stressed out."

You've set up a bit of a straw man here, and that bias makes me a little apprehensive about capnskull (not critical thinkers, in general).

[cynicinaminute]

@GodsModerate ummm your name kinda gives away the fact that you arent either. Religious people are very unreliable.

[crocoshocker]

@GodsModerate *nods* it is a straw man. Funny line though :P

[paxik]

Apart from being subject to the very biases it criticizes (especially ad hominem, as in "intellectual coward", or either/or, as demonstrated by the t-shirts) this is a great video with good thoughts in it. Unfortunately, it's tone seems aggressive and preachy. So I am a bit afraid it won't persuade too many people to think about their thinking.

[TheStigma]

Its a good idea for a video, but it could have been made a little more neutral. Its kind of breaking its own rule a little by resorting to a kind of ad hom. by presenting the opposing view as hopelessly stupid and unreasonable. That may often be the case of course, but clearly it is not always quite that simple and clear cut

I think a little more neutral explanation of the facts of why you should avoid wishful thinking and biases would make more people actually consider them in a serious light.

[discipleofbeingweird]

the text is good but some of the video betrays their biases.

[bilal216]

okay, I'll think critically about this video...hmmmm....this is fucking stupid.

[FloralWhite88]

I would love to show this video to a few stupid family members..then again, never mind..It will probably make their brains explode.

[XXXxThemessiahxXXX]

This is a awesome video, there is no higher God then truth. Critical thinking and intelligent people is what we need in this world more.

[johnpotter26]

lol they're all reading cards

[Lacocacolaman]

LOL, i was taking this seriously until I saw a Pic of president of Barack Obama telling me that he's a critical thinker. STUPID VIDEO

[Shezmu]

@Lacocacolaman - Yeah, that was jarring to me to. It doesn't help that Obama is a major user of logical fallacies and is trying to get another war going without even consulting congress and is trying to justify it literally with newspeak.

[nightsongs1970]

My favorite real-world example of non-critical or wishful thinking:

I have no facts to support my position and I reject yours; Therefore you are "ignorant".

[cruciphile]

@nightsongs1970 ah, the religious view.

[blackmog1]

0:31 Critical thinking should've enlightened him that the moustache has got to go

[cadetkb]

can someone send this to sarah palin and glenn beck (amongst a few others)?

[HmND]

Hit and miss video that practically diminishes itself through self-contradiction into a worthless pile of opinions and judgments. Also uses emotional control methods to pressure the viewer into labeling himself as a "Critical Thinker", by mere auto-response, and therefore negating anything that doesn't conform to this label, including rejection of some pretty valid points made by people in "Wishful Thinker" t-shirts.

Weak. That is my critical thinking of this video.

[H0tkebab]

@HmND

Through my critical thinking I was supposed to give you a thumbs up, but my wishful thinking got in the way and I accidentally clicked the thumbs down button. =(

[bubblegumfire545]

This is a weird video......

[oxfordshirt]

I wish there was a video like this in Spanish so I could finally get across to my parents.

[13375p34k0r]

nice, you use the tricks from your cult video :P

[tjc1027]

Is it just me or does this video not use many of the same tactics and ideas it claims to be against. I don't disagree with most of what this video says, but the us vs. them mentality and calling people who don't agree with this intellectual cowards, says to me that whomever made this video should put on the wishful thinker shirt.

[Gmancrap]

Good, but not as good as "Mind control cults".

[tjweiler1]

There were actually 2 dislikes to this video. I just can't imagine how anyone could "dislike" being intelligent, reasonable and using common sense!

[ParaTobEnce]

i like how the "thinker" in "critical thinker" is capitalized, like its emphasized or something

[BLaZe071775]

i am stupid this is perfect

[superfatamusic]

BTW, great videos! And I agree with "SnarkLicker" (What the hell does that mean?) that many, many more people need to see these videos. So I will link to it as much as I possibly can, and recomend that everyone else to do the same!

[superfatamusic]

All good christians must be critical of critical thinking! In other words: As critical as possible with as little thought prosess as possible. Amen and Halle-fuckin'-lujah!!!

[SnarkLicker]

wow. It's such a shame that in four months, this vid has only gotten 2,500 views. It should have been somewhere around seven billion within a few hours, because I don't know *anyone* who doesn't need to see this.

Awesome vid. Great work!

[InDarkDominion]

@SnarkLicker Only critical thinkers would come across a "critical thinking" video by their own volition. Stupid people, by my observation, do not want to learn how to think like someone who knows how to use their brain.

If you take the 3,416 views (as of 11/16/10) and multiply it by about 3.5, that is around the amount of critical thinkers that exist in the YouTube community.

Not many people dwell on YouTube to think critically, as this is basically an entertainment website.

[cousinbelladonna]

@SnarkLicker I have shared it on facebook, let the flooding of views begin because I have 158 friends!!! and some of them are in cults!!! I don't know if this is going to get through... but maybe if just to one friend... please...

[467290]

@SnarkLicker Critical thinking is for the elite few I guess...

[pcbutler1971]

Citical thinker or intellectual coward: Ad hominem

[elkabon9]

Hmmm... a true critical thinker would not see this as black and white. No one is either one or the other. It's a continuum and we all sit somewhere along the continuum.

[VodaNegru]

@elkabon9 Re: "Hmmm... a true critical thinker would not see this as black and white. No one is either one or the other. It's a continuum and we all sit somewhere along the continuum." This is the only part they got wrong here; the parts of the universe are indeed only one thing OR the other; it's all black & white; binary, 1/0, up/down, left/right, good/bad, pain/love. The only 'continuum' is existence itself: objective facts OR subjective opinions (my opinion is: objective facts are right)!

[redblows42k]

@VodaNegru I think you need to watch the video again buddy

[m0rl0rd]

@elkabon9 "The world is complex, it's not always either A or B. Sometimes it's both or something completely different."

[DetestiniAbductionss]

@TheOptimistPrime Open-minds, very, very important. I just happen to be non-religious, non-esoterical at all. I don't think the scientific approach to our surroundings and evnironement (empirism, positivism) is cold or anti-human, on the contrary, I think it is a pure, beautiful way to find out more about truth. A theory shall only work when it has the ability to predict things; a thing shall only be accepted as truthful when there is evidence etc.

[TheRobivio]

Amazing

[rubbermuck]

@TheOptimistPrime haha, i love that response, so ironic!

[Sugglife]

Dope!!!! Very well done!!!!

[Herbgarden]

aaaaaaaaAHHHaahhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa­a ! nice

[ScottKilbourn]

alright, all kidding aside, this is a great video. I like the ' Cult Leader ' one too. Great stuff! Dam, can't they put this on TV or something? all the "reality tv" watchers would stop watching if they soaked this lesson in! lol

[ScottKilbourn]

I'll have to do some more research on this alien technology.

[dingumfCallofDuty]

@TheOptimistPrime

Critical thinking is rarely used in everyday situations by people. Admit it.

[dingumfCallofDuty]

@TheOptimistPrime

lol you sure you know what ego means?

[DetestiniAbductionss]

@TheOptimistPrime The things and persons that fool you, that take you for a ride, those are the things motivated by EGO. To be critical doesn't mean to be selfish at all.

[DetestiniAbductionss]

@TheOptimistPrime You are wrong. Critical thinking is just an essential tool to evaluate things by yourself. Critical thinking is necessary to be independent, to survive. Critical thinking is the source of science, of Empirism. The quote, the last words by Gautama Buddha, are just spot on. I don't need nothing more than "Doubt everything. Find your own light." to keep being myself, to stay awake. I don't know about you, but I'm a skeptic, I don't like being fooled.

[zukuss]

Funny, this video uses ad-hominem attacks (you're stupid) and either/or scenarios (are you stupid, or a critical thinker?) to support it's stance on critical thinking. Also, there's a bit of confirmation bias (see Necrowitch's response) involved.

Overall it's a good video, but the contradictions are interesting. I'm just thinking critically about this video.

[Necrowitch]

Wow, That really confirmed to me that most of the time, I'm a critical thinker and helped point out for me a few places I am not.. it also made me recognize that some people I know need this video more then I do because while they claim to be logical people... they are only that on some issues and and not on others that they insist on pounding 100% of their beliefs into you even though some of those beliefs are not well thought out.

[DetestiniAbductionss]

Another great video, thanks a lot. "Doubt everything. Find your own light." - Gautama Buddha