Critical Thinking

To me, critical thinking is an act of judging and considering something objectively. The ability to critically judge something can be a great strength in learning. I think for me, I often become a critical thinker and don't notice it. Whether it's a book, a television show, a new idea, or just someone else's opinion, I am quick to weigh the pros and cons of what I am judging; noting the good and the bad of every thought. Unfortunately, my critical thinking skills only come at times where I am calm and careful. I find that my ability to rationalize an idea or thought and weigh my options goes out the window when I act in the moment and become impulsive. On the positive side, this sort of impulsive behavior never comes out when I am in a learning environment.
One area of my life where critical thinking is always a great tool is money. I could be called frugal, but I prefer the term "smart" with money. While I have yet to hold down a house and manage true finances I have already found out that I am cautious with money and carefully weigh out the necessity of each purchase. I believe this is a good example of critical thinking, as it requires a person to look at both sides of an "argument". When a person applies critical thinking to an idea or an issue, it is necessary that they put away opinions that have already been embedded in their heads so that they can objectively look at the issue at hand in order to consider it completely and thoroughly. The same can be said for critically thinking regarding money, while it may be set in my head that I need a new Coach purse, I must have the ability to look at my financial situation and objectively decide if that purchase would be appropriate or not.
In my day to day life I do find myself analyzing many different things that sometimes do not necessarily affect me. One thing I find myself analyzing a lot is what the public is being told by the media; what the television shows, magazine articles, and internet wants us to believe. If we as an audience do not take the time to really think about what is being spoon-fed to us by the media, we will be pulled in different directions without any idea of how we truly feel. The same can be said for politics. Without critical thinking, how could we the people ever know how to choose the right politician for us? We are always being told what we want to hear, so without critical thinking we would never be able to sift through the propaganda and empty promises to get to the real solution.
I am hoping that this class will improve my critical thinking skills by showing me the necessary tools to apply when considering something objectively. I think I will be given many things that I will be required to consider and discuss that through a lot of critical thinking practice I can become a more open minded and intelligent person. I also hope that with these skills I will be able to see the positives about other people’s opinions and also negatives my own opinions may hold.