Do you ever stop and consider the reason for the chaos and violence overwhelming our country right now? While there have always been, and will always be, problems, it seems like there is an exceptional amount of unrest right now.
The problems in our country are not a simple fix, but I think there’s a lot that can be done to drastically improve things. However, I believe that in order to truly begin fixing problems, it all starts with the individual.
One of the biggest problems is our inability, or perhaps just unwillingness, to ask questions. Not just any questions, but good questions that will generate solid answers. Asking questions is extremely important.
There is an astonishing number of people who adopt beliefs without even questioning their roots or verifying information. Additionally, many people blindly follow the orders of any person they deem respectable.
This mindset poses several issues. It leads to people being easily swayed and manipulated by people who rarely have their best interests in mind. Often, this is the kind of mindset that does one of three things: blows issues out of proportion, ignores issues that desperately need to be addressed or intentionally misleads people on important issues.
Next, it leads to the gradual disintegration of a person’s ability to think critically and reason independently. It is a sort of numbing of the mind that, the way I see it, makes people considerably more inept.
I believe that one of the remedies to these issues is to increase our ability to ask good questions and to care about doing so. We need to learn how to get curious, ask questions effectively and pry if necessary.
Good answers are never given when good questions are not asked. Change is not enacted when people don’t care enough to question the state of everything around them.
For the most part, it is really important to ask questions in a way that doesn’t feel threatening to people. When someone feels threatened, especially if it seems that you are challenging their authority or abilities, they don’t respond well.
However, this approach typically works well when you are striving to achieve results in environments such as workplaces and education settings.
I believe there is another very important kind of questioning reserved for more pressing issues, such as those in politics and major societal matters. It is something I would describe as radical, prying questioning.
It is something that makes people uncomfortable, but it is necessary. This is the kind of questioning that protects people, fights for justice and refuses to be complacent in the face of atrocities.
This is the kind I would use when I ask why leaders make certain choices. It is used to pressure people to do better and that is crucial, especially in serious matters. It is intentionally used to make people question themselves because sometimes people need to reevaluate their decisions.
The ability to ask others questions effectively is important, but questioning yourself is equally important. Not just every so often, but constantly. Self-evaluation is comparable to a good resume: both constantly need updating.
As the world changes and you acquire new information, your perspectives should begin to shift. Now, I’m not talking about reconsidering your morals and fundamental beliefs. Those are essential to who you are as a person.
I mean reconsidering how those morals and fundamental beliefs influence your worldview. You might always value empathy, but in five years, you might see empathy hidden in a belief that you once opposed and change your mind.
If you aren’t constantly questioning yourself, it is hard to grow and do better. In short, questioning in any form facilitates growth.
Questioning the beliefs and actions of those around you is necessary to protect others and help society be better.
Questioning yourself is a way of refining your own beliefs, which shape your actions. This will also benefit society because every individual’s actions, based on their beliefs, have an impact.
The ability to ask good questions and arrive at good answers matters more than most people ever consider. This ability extends beyond yourself; what you do and do not question determines the course of history.