Critical Judgment
What a wonderful stretch of weather we’ve had this past week. The Granville Farmer’s Market was bustling with sunshine and customers yesterday. There’s rain in the forecast, which our farmers will appreciate.
Unless you are on a “news fast” you are probably aware that a Manhattan jury convicted Donald Trump on 34 counts of falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal during his 2016 presidential campaign. The trial and its result has reporters, analysts and opinion writers offering their two cents on it all. From the fairness of the proceedings, to the likelihood of a successful appeal, to the political implications, there is no shortage of views being expressed - and everyone assigns different weights to the significance of different aspects of the story. Only time will tell what this all means for Trump legally, politically and in the historical record.
It highlights a topic I have previously written about - the importance for all of us to strengthen our powers of critical thinking. In the olden days of my youth, the mainstream media served as a curator of information, simplifying the framing of the news of the day. I believe this made it a bit easier to be an informed citizen, but it also put the media in a position of unique power in terms of “setting the table” for what society focused on, discussed and debated.
In today’s internet-based world, the number of news outlets has exploded, as have individuals and groups who are “news adjacent” or “newsish.” They look and talk like news reporters, offering their opinions without generating ground-level sourcing of information. As individuals we are left to sort through the hard news, the opinions and even bad faith misinformation that flows freely across this frictionless, digital landscape right into our eyes and ears.
This drives home for me a simple thesis - those who wish to thrive in the future need to have better critical thinking skills than what was required in the past. I am cautiously optimistic that we will all become better thinkers in the long run as a result of this technology-enabled explosion of information.
One reason for this optimism is that the world typically provides a strong feedback loop. I’ve written about this in the past, but it remains a good example - the January 6th rioters put their faith in information sources that turned out to be mostly incorrect. Now they are paying a steep price for that reliance. I imagine these people will discount the quality of those information sources in the future, if they consider them at all. In the last two U.S. Presidential election cycles, we have had the ability to see how both of this year’s candidates has performed in our highest office. Those observations will inform how we vote in this cycle.
A second reason for my optimism is, perhaps ironically, technology. The same technology that inundates us with more information than we can possibly process is training us to be more discerning - and making it possible to disrupt the ways that we teach and learn.
Our education system is ripe for this type of disruption. I can see a future where students of different learning styles can be taught in ways that are best suited for them. Our brightest minds will go further, and faster, because they no longer will be held back by curriculum designed for the majority. This mass customization of teaching will lift up both the ceiling and the floor of our human potential. Everyone will have access to the best subject matter experts on any topic, delivered in ways that are best for their individual learning styles.
So, is Donald Trump the victim of a baseless political prosecution, or someone who ran afoul of the law and has been held to account by our judicial system? We must each decide for ourselves. It will be very interesting to see how it all plays out.
Sunday Supper
I cooked many of this week’s Sunday Supper recommendations for a special meal with friends last weekend. This Roasted Salmon w/ Ginger-Lime Butter was wonderful, as was this Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad w/ Miso Dressing. For dessert, I made these Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts w/ a scoop of Jeni’s vanilla ice cream. On my radar for the week ahead is this Korean Fried Chicken recipe, which is receiving a lot of positive reviews.
Sunday Music
This Sunday I am pleased to share with you this hour-long set of improvised electronic music created by the amazing Reggie Watts. His talent for blending humor with music always puts a smile on my face. Enjoy!
If you know anyone who might like this essay, please send it to them.
Have a great week ahead! Offer support to others. Make good use of this day. And let me know how I can help.
Peace & Love,