What is critical thinking?

When the COVID-19 shitshow came into view, many people were completely taken in, believing that there was a deadly virus that even healthy people could spread just by breathing. Whilst I will never be one of the people who says that the virus didn't exist - there was plenty of evidence, at least from my interactions with people, to suggest that there was an unusual virus going round, certainly in late 2019/early 2020 - there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the severity of the virus was exaggerated by the media, and that all the big name politicians knew this all along. Although it's debatable as to whether the original intention was for the virus to wipe out many more people than it did - I think it possibly was. 

The fear porn was absolutely ramped up by the media. 

But then there was the other side, which I more or less joined forces with. The people who sensed that something wasn't quite right about what we were being told. The people who had researched on topics like the New World Order for years. I had made the decision fairly early on that certain things just didn't add up or make sense. And some of the people in these ranks called people 'sheep' for believing what the media was saying. At the time, critical thinking and 'being awake' was largely associated with seeing through the bigger picture of COVID-19.

Four and a bit years later, some these people who ridiculed the 'normies' are believing that all well known musicians are part of the New World Order, some even believe that male footballers are transgender, there are flat earth evangelists saying that you don't know God if you believe the earth is not flat, and just the other day I saw someone posting an image from the Simpsons and comparing it to an image with David Icke and someone else who I know personally, as evidence that David and my friend are shills. The most crazy thing I ever saw was someone saying that the shape of a football was the symbol of adrenochrome. And the extent to which people believe alternative media such as The Light Paper and other articles is, in my opinion, just another side of the coin to believing everything the mainstream media says. 

None of the above is evidence of critical thinking. There are several rabbit holes which, if one goes down them too deeply, can really mess with people's minds. And then there's black and white thinking - which can apply to religion, New Age spirituality or conspiracies. Thinking that we have knowledge of 'the truth' and that we are always right. That's something I've seen a lot of from the so called 'free thinkers', but - many of them predicted a terrible lockdown in 2022, some probably predicted we'd be living in 15 minute cities by now. 

To admit that we really don't know, on certain topics, is arguably the starting point for critical thinking. It's so easy to latch on to a school of thought or particular beliefs and then adopt these things as your own. It's easier to try and fit in to a crowd rather than march to the beat of your own drum. 

To me, critical thinking is examining the evidence in front of you, being aware that things aren't always as they seen and also accessing your own inner wisdom. 

MOB MENTALITY
This is one thing I particularly dislike and the media certainly encouraged this during lockdown - 'if you don't think what we are telling you, you are a bad person' is the basic premise, I guess - and it got to the point where people were grassing on their neighbours for breaking Covid rules. Such people should be embarrassed by their actions by now, although maybe they genuinely thought they were doing a good thing. The media and news outlets brainwash people to think a certain way and to shame people who behave differently. 
But this can also happen in conspiracy ranks - there were plenty of times that I saw conspiracists shaming others that just wanted to live their life as normal and not be totally drenched in what the New World Order was planning next. 

In summary, I have got to a place where I realise there are some things that I believe, but cannot prove 100%. I still believe that that Covid was planned and was an attempt at a power grab, and probably always will. But I also believe that some of the narratives coming from Conspiracy Land are without any real evidence and beliefs passed on by others. 

Peace.