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2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: WaPo: Hillary Clinton’s desultory campaign is sinking [View all]Proserpina
(2,352 posts)30. One of the mental blocks on this website is black/white thinking
Black and White Thinking doesn't Work in a Gray World
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/byron-williams/black-and-white-thinking-_b_30747.html
To see the world in black and white is to live within the contours of extremism. This outlook neatly divides the world into right versus wrong, good versus evil, and yes versus no. This thinking is dependent upon such words as always and never. Especially in times of crisis, the black and white worldview is looked upon as strength and courage to the casual observer...Though appearing to be the best choice in the short term, black and white thinking can bring about long-term negative consequences.
The problem with black and white thinking is that it usually does battle in a world that is nuanced and gray.
Cognitive analysis begins in black and white terms, this is how children learn to use words and organize their thoughts. How many parents have provided their seven-year-old with a rule, only to later alter the decree ever so slightly and have the child retort with: "But you said?" In the world of Developmental Psychology this is called primitive thinking. As adults, we are prone to primitive thinking during moments of crisis and stress. Mark Sichel, author and psychotherapist, writes, "When the adult starts relying on the words "always" or "never," and seeing the world in black and white terms, they are slipping back to the way they saw the world as a child."
In the world of black and white we can become overwhelmed with the desire to find "the" answer. This is why church attendance grew across the country immediately following 9/11--folks looking for an answer, trying to understand the "why" question...For all of the obvious short- term reasons to embrace black and white thinking, there is definite a downside. Not only does black and white thinking show little appreciation for the world of gray it has even less for the concept of self-reflection. To self-reflect, especially after a decision has been made, could open one to the possibility of being wrong--which defeats the purpose of black and white thinking. Many psychologists maintain that black and white thinking actually exasperates mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
Black and white thinking is also flawed because it inherently assumes a static world. It is dependent upon everything and everyone maintaining the role that such thinking has already preordained...Failure becomes harder to confront because one tends to place an inordinate amount of energy being right. It is an unfortunate default against the complexities of the world.
Our political leadership has been at its best when those leaders have dared to enter into the world of gray. Imagine how America would be different had Washington, Lincoln, or Roosevelt maintained black and white thinking throughout their respective wars. Their greatness today is not measured simply by the end result but also by their ability to adapt in lieu of unsuspected challenges--some by their own making.
It requires far less courage to live in the black and white than it does to live in the gray. The world of gray requires that we show up and be present. It does not afford us the luxury of putting life on automatic pilot. Moreover, black and white thinking, though it may provide momentary comfort, is simply unrealistic to sustain. After all, even black and white photos come with their own varying shades of gray.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/byron-williams/black-and-white-thinking-_b_30747.html
To see the world in black and white is to live within the contours of extremism. This outlook neatly divides the world into right versus wrong, good versus evil, and yes versus no. This thinking is dependent upon such words as always and never. Especially in times of crisis, the black and white worldview is looked upon as strength and courage to the casual observer...Though appearing to be the best choice in the short term, black and white thinking can bring about long-term negative consequences.
The problem with black and white thinking is that it usually does battle in a world that is nuanced and gray.
Cognitive analysis begins in black and white terms, this is how children learn to use words and organize their thoughts. How many parents have provided their seven-year-old with a rule, only to later alter the decree ever so slightly and have the child retort with: "But you said?" In the world of Developmental Psychology this is called primitive thinking. As adults, we are prone to primitive thinking during moments of crisis and stress. Mark Sichel, author and psychotherapist, writes, "When the adult starts relying on the words "always" or "never," and seeing the world in black and white terms, they are slipping back to the way they saw the world as a child."
In the world of black and white we can become overwhelmed with the desire to find "the" answer. This is why church attendance grew across the country immediately following 9/11--folks looking for an answer, trying to understand the "why" question...For all of the obvious short- term reasons to embrace black and white thinking, there is definite a downside. Not only does black and white thinking show little appreciation for the world of gray it has even less for the concept of self-reflection. To self-reflect, especially after a decision has been made, could open one to the possibility of being wrong--which defeats the purpose of black and white thinking. Many psychologists maintain that black and white thinking actually exasperates mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
Black and white thinking is also flawed because it inherently assumes a static world. It is dependent upon everything and everyone maintaining the role that such thinking has already preordained...Failure becomes harder to confront because one tends to place an inordinate amount of energy being right. It is an unfortunate default against the complexities of the world.
Our political leadership has been at its best when those leaders have dared to enter into the world of gray. Imagine how America would be different had Washington, Lincoln, or Roosevelt maintained black and white thinking throughout their respective wars. Their greatness today is not measured simply by the end result but also by their ability to adapt in lieu of unsuspected challenges--some by their own making.
It requires far less courage to live in the black and white than it does to live in the gray. The world of gray requires that we show up and be present. It does not afford us the luxury of putting life on automatic pilot. Moreover, black and white thinking, though it may provide momentary comfort, is simply unrealistic to sustain. After all, even black and white photos come with their own varying shades of gray.
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Ed Rogers, an opinion writer for the Washington Post, offering commentary from a conservative
still_one
Jan 2016
#1
Anyone who uses opinions from the Lee Atwater school, speaks volumes. Just a few days ago I saw
still_one
Jan 2016
#46
Truth is not hate. I'm really sorry if you can't handle truth with dignity and grace,
Proserpina
Jan 2016
#19
The election won't prove anything about this article. It's full of Rethug mudslinging,
pnwmom
Jan 2016
#24
I personally wouldn't waste my breath. Ironically they think this kind of garbage helps their
still_one
Jan 2016
#47
A more effective argumentation technique would be to point out and refute the lies
Fumesucker
Jan 2016
#35
Please stop making up stuff about Senator Sanders. You're embarrassing yourself.
merrily
Jan 2016
#27
Truth hurts, sometimes. And sometimes, even the GOP has a portion of the truth
Proserpina
Jan 2016
#16
did you know Rogers was the senior deputy to the master of wedge politics, Lee Atwater?
bigtree
Jan 2016
#38
It takes an amazing amount of willful blindness to insist that this man's observations
Proserpina
Jan 2016
#21
I wish I could say I was surprised at yet another right-wing source posted in order to bash HRC.
DanTex
Jan 2016
#4
But its ok when right wing commentators trash Bernie Sanders you are the first to congradulate them
INdemo
Jan 2016
#26
Why do posters attribute an editorial to the paper it's written in and not the person who wrote it?
DemocratSinceBirth
Jan 2016
#32
Washington Post is busy attacking our candidates--HRC "sinking" and Bernie's plans full of fiction"
book_worm
Jan 2016
#48