April 12, 2025
Taking Responsibility to Think Clearly
"Thinking is hard. That’s why most people judge." Carl Jung
The art of thinking clearly is a seldom-practiced art. Thinking clearly and independently is one of the most challenging things I have done in my life. And I have done challenging things. Being a professional dancer is intense; you train hard, and some days we burn upwards of 6,000 calories while practicing—yes, I tracked it.
Still, I have to say that thinking clearly and independently is a greater challenge than the physical effort and exhaustion I endured in those times.
But how come? Aren’t we evolved to think through complex topics, have a clear mind, and be interested in evolving further?
No. We are built to survive, and for survival, you don’t have to think independently or clearly. Actually, thinking independently and clearly can make it harder to survive. Most people, if they started to practice thinking, would make it very hard for themselves in the environment they are currently in. They would start seeing through the assumptions of their tribe, the loopholes in the arguments, and the lack of questioning of the bases of knowledge that are assumed. They would start to dismantle many of their own beliefs, assumptions, and automatic responses shot every day that allow them to "not rock the boat."
For a clear and independent thinker, it becomes obvious that most of our current structures of thought are built on an unstable foundation and might need an update.
But what if it works? One might say. Isn’t it better to be part of something and believe something, even if it might be untrue?
I mean, things aren’t too bad, right? Why would I want to rock the boat with my community or family?
One could argue that this isn’t a problem, right?
Maybe. And maybe history has something else to say.
Maybe history has something to teach about this stance in life. The stance of comfort and conformity. The stance of “if it works for now, why change it?”
If you aren’t fully asleep, you might have noticed that things aren’t working, that you might be one of the lucky ones for now, but that things have gotten interesting, to say the least.
If I’m speaking to parents, they tend to agree that some things aren’t working too well and that they spend a good deal of time worrying about the future of their children and how the world will be 30 years from now.
A short moment of worry, followed by an immediate return to the old way.
Why? It’s easy, and we have enough to distract us from the uncomfortable realities of living.
If you want my thought on it, here it is: No, it doesn’t work, and if you are just slightly aware, it is your responsibility to think as clearly as you can going into the future.
What we think creates what we do, and that creates what we have. So, given the state of the world, I see it’s time for an update on our ability to think.
You can spend your life hoping that things will go well in the corner of the world you call home, and maybe that’s right.
Or you can take responsibility for the life you have and the life you impact and start to wonder where you can make a difference. Chances are, the difference you can make will depend on how clearly you can see the world, and that will depend entirely on you choosing clarity over comfort, responsibility over ease, and courage over safety.
It will depend on you choosing to create a life worth living, not on the hopes that some AI robot will fix it all, and that the lack of snow in winter is just temporary, that Australian trees in Vienna will only be here for a while, and that the lack of integrity in today’s leadership can be fixed by voting next time around.
It’s time to wake up. This is the one life you have, and the greater your capacity to hold different realities, the ugly and the beautiful, will determine how the future for all of us will be.
We are all part of it.