Critical Thinking - A Lost Art?

As if you can't already tell, the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic weighs on me.  I wrote this response May 9/20 after reading this article, which brings up a great point. https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2020/05/05/coronavirus-evaluating-evidence/3083768001/?fbclid=IwAR2yhRzSJJ69LQraspldDVVTbcywO5AA70V8IZpgiXHQfsHIaGotJccpZRs

We all tend to think with our emotions; I am guilty of this as well.

Critical thinking IS taught in schools, but too young without carrying it through. While I think it's great that all years are teaching it (at least I hope teachers are) I do believe it's up to the teacher. And if the teacher doesn't think critically, how can it be taught?

Critical thinking should be part of the curriculum, even if it is banded together along with other classes - mandatory classes. Students need a label for it (apparently), so call it CRITICAL THINKING 9, 10, 11 and 12 in high school. In elementary school, critical thinking about ALL subjects should be emphasized by saying something like "Okay, let's check this information out with some critical thinking". Up to about grade 4 or 5, this works. Emphasis on it in grades 6-8 is, well, critical.

Without emphasis on this type of thinking, we end up with leaders like Boris Johnston, Donny Rump and J Trudeau, king of the selfies. Leaders like this put the WISH in wishful thinking. "I wish this wasn't true, because I don't like it" thinking has got us where we are in this COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020. Ignorance, in this case, has not been bliss.

See my prior rant post on how the big three G8 (not necessarily in importance, but in failure to act) for my opinion on how their lack of critical thinking - ignoring the evidence - brought us to our knees by not acting quickly in a responsible manner.

Critical Thinking. What an idea.