Barriers to Critical Thinking

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Maureen Dela Cruz

HUM/115

October 11, 2015

Barriers to Critical Thinking

Angela Bush

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For me, critical thinking is defined as in depth thinking, giving attention to every details, considering the pros and cons. However, in today’s society, there are a lot of hindrances or barriers to critical thinking. This can be the external barriers, which includes family, friends, media and teachers. There’s also the internal barriers that includes rationalizing, emotions, stubbornness, and biases.

Let’s be honest, some of us can apply both external and internal as a barrier to critical thinking. I know I can! However, if I have to choose two from these barriers I would choose two from the internal barriers. I can recognized rationalizing and emotions as my deepest barrier to thinking critically.

Rationalizing or rationalization is when you try to make an action or scenario that seems reasonable by building beliefs around it. In other words, you make an excuse as to why the consequences did not turned out how you expected it to be. I remember back in high school, whenever I would get my test papers back with a C grade, I would justify why it was fine to have that grade. The best excuse I had then was, I was a working student. I was always tired thus I did not have the energy to study. Now that I am older and in college, I do not want to make that same mistake and excuse. This definitely did not helped me to think critically because I did not owned up to my consequences, instead I was making excuses. Now, I am currently working with a one month old baby. I do not want to use the same excuse I used back then. Instead, I am motivating myself to be better in hope to be a good example to my daughter. Yes, I am tired, but nothing is impossible as long as you put your heart and mind into it.

Emotions basically is your feelings. You respond to your emotions by acting accordingly. Like when your happy, you smile...