0 1, re-examine the "concept"
The so-called concept is our definition of everything in life and one of the most basic elements of thinking. Only when we define something in a certain way can we think about it.
For example, trees, clouds, grass, paths, people, children and sunset, we always use these concepts intuitively, as if these names belong to these things by nature.
In fact, any concept is artificially created. Used to refer to reality, but not absolutely equal to reality. For example, when you see the concept of "path", everyone's mind will never present the same picture.
Even with concrete concepts, abstract concepts are even more uncertain. Each of us has a different understanding of the abstract concepts of love, friendship, freedom, rationality, justice and morality.
02. Be alert to all "information"
People's thinking is a process of drawing conclusions through reasoning, which inevitably depends on some information. For example, if you get the message that "the market has been rising for six months in a row", you may infer that the market will continue to rise next month. The quality of thinking depends on the quality of the information we use to draw conclusions.
Our life is full of a lot of information, which comes from reading, observation and hearsay. This information may not be accurate, but we often take it directly as true. A lot of problems in human life are caused by information errors.
If you want to avoid mistakes, you must form a habit: keep a high degree of vigilance against the information sources you use. Always tell yourself that information and facts are not the same thing, and all so-called "facts" are questionable.
03, accurately define "meaning"
Among the various elements of thinking, there is a hidden element that is easy to cause misunderstanding, that is, "meaning". Meaning is what follows our thinking, that is, "implication".
For example, you tell your child that she can't go to a friend's house to play because she can't clean the room. These words imply that if she wants to visit a friend's house, she has the responsibility to clean the room.
In life, people often can't accurately infer the implied meaning in other people's language, but they think they understand it. People often interpret more than others actually say, which is what we often call "oversensitive".
For example, your lover wants you to ask his advice when making a major purchase decision, and there is no other meaning. But what you interpret is: he doesn't believe me, thinks he is better at shopping than me, and thinks I am not a wise decision maker! So contradictions and disputes have arisen.
04, break the inner "hypothesis"
The last thinking element that makes us deceive ourselves is "hypothesis". Any conclusion or inference we make is based on some assumption, which is the premise of our thinking.
For example, if you see a dark cloud coming, you can conclude that it is going to rain, because you assume that it will rain as long as the sky is covered by dark clouds. When you see the boss walk past you without saying hello, you will think that "the boss is angry with me" because you assume that "the boss will be in a bad mood if he doesn't say hello to his employees".
For example, as mentioned earlier, the reason why emeralds double in price but sell better is because consumers have the assumption that "a penny is worth a penny" and are convinced of it.
Extended data
Pascal: Thought makes people great.
I can imagine a person without hands, feet and head (because only experience tells us that head is more necessary than feet). However, I can't imagine that people have no thoughts: then they will become a stubborn stone or an animal.
If an animal can do what it does by instinct through the spirit, if it can say what it says by instinct through the spirit, it can warn its companions that the prey has been found or lost when hunting; Then it must be able to say what it cares more about, such as: "bite this rope that hurts me, I can't bite."
Rational command is much more arbitrary than master command; Because we will be unfortunate if we don't obey our master, and we will become fools if we don't obey our reason.
Man is just a reed grass, the most fragile thing in nature; But he is a thinking reed. You don't need the whole universe to take up arms to destroy him; One breath and one drop of water are enough to kill him. However, even if the universe destroyed him, man is still much more noble than what killed him; Because he knew he was going to die, and he knew the benefits the universe brought him, but the universe knew nothing about it.
Therefore, all our dignity lies in our thoughts. It is because of it, not because of the space and time we can't fill, that we must improve ourselves. So, try to think it over; This is a moral principle.
Thinking about reeds-I should pursue my own dignity, not from space, but from the rules of my own thoughts. How much land I occupy will not be useful; Because of space, the universe embraces me and engulfs me like a particle; Because of thought, it covers the universe.
Thought-All human dignity lies in thought.