Evolution of Thought — Learning Independent Thinking
by Barry James Moore
Saturday, April 5, 2008 [updated October 27, 2008]
P.A.D. - Problems of American Democracy
When I was in my senior year in high school (1961-1962) I had a social studies class titled "Problems of American Democracy" (P.A.D. for short).
The teacher of that class is my all time favorite teacher. Her name is Dorothy McLaughlin, and I remain in contact with her to this day.
Mrs. McLaughlin is my favorite teacher because she taught me to think for myself. You see, as children we mostly form opinions based on others around us during our formative years, mostly from our parents. Our world views are skewed based on the outlook of others. As we mature we begin to hear and read the outlooks of others. But what if our listening and reading material remains narrow based on that pre-conceived outlook? Will we not then become narrow ourselves, not only to the detriment of those who's views differ from our own and who we push aside, but also to our own detriment because we don't avail ourselves of the richness of other points of view.
As part of our assignments in P.A.D., Mrs. McLaughlin required that we read and discuss opposing views in newspaper editorials from both conservative and liberal vantage points. We did not debate in a formal sense, but listening to other classmates helped me understand various perspectives that I had not previously considered. Hearing multiple sides of an issue sometimes solidified my positions and sometimes I changed my opinion. Either way, I not only learned what I believed, but more importantly WHY I believed it.
Since that senior year, I no longer blindly follow the crowd. While sometimes I am in lock step with others, it is not out of ignorance. Other times I travel a lonely road, not finding many others with whom I can agree, but I do so in full conviction of my beliefs.
That is the reason that I take what I hear with "a grain of salt" and investigate and search for the factual information. Yes, Mrs. Dorothy McLaughlin certainly did teach me how to think.
Over the years I have watched and learned — watched other people in their prejudices — watched as others look only on the surface and make quick judgments about people and issues — watched as they refuse to get to know one another and without ever looking at all sides of issues or digging down into the details of a matter — watched as they ignore their own twinges of conscience — watched as groups are led into a frenzy by self-serving organizers.
And in all that watching I have learned to not be one of them, but to listen to others and to get to know them. I have learned to thoughtfully consider everything in great depth before deciding about people, issues or on a course of action. All in all, when taking that approach — when choosing in advance to do what's right as an approach to all of life — most decisions become much easier and yield greater peace.
