My little philosophy for dummies…

How-to’s, do-it-yourself’s, quick-fixes, easy-makes and cyberspace as our library…we’ve got it made. In our day and age, information is at our fingertips. We are probably the most informed generation ever…
But if you ask me…we don’t know anything.
Knowing has become easy, but thinking has become obsolete. From Cliff’s Notes to Tattoos for Dummies, everything has become easy-breezy, step-by-step pamphlets that take little effort and even less thought.
I will be the first to admit that the Internet alone has become my rest haven for research, and I can’t remember the last time I set foot in a library.
Our generation doesn’t have to think. If we want an answer, we just look it up. We never inquire how we got from point A to point B; we just sit back oblivious to all scenery as we enjoy the ride.
Problem solving has become a nuisance that I fear will soon be looked upon as irrelevant. And with problem solving out the window, common sense will not be too far behind.
I listen to the way we argue, the way we rationalize, the way we comprehend, and I can already see critical thinking dying a slow, miserable death.
In my own life, Stephen King, Anne Rice, and John Grisham novels have taken the place of more serious literature, like The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and The Miseducation of the Negro. The latter two are among books I read in junior high. And the frequency of my reading has decreased tremendously. Is it just me, or is there some kind of regression here?
Through my observations in class, and in my own actions, I’ve come to the conclusion that we’ve become extremely lazy in our learning, and that we want everything to be in black or white. Gray areas call for too much thought, time and attention.
Therefore, as I’ve decided to challenge myself, I challenge the rest of our generation to put down the Cliff’s Notes and actually read Macbeth. Instead of cutting and pasting, write it yourself. And if all else fails, find something you’re interested in and learn all you can about it. I think I’m gonna start with the last one and work my way to the top.
Of course, still grab hold of all that readily available information out there, but do a little digging yourself. It’s the only way you’ll develop your own understanding of the world, your own ideas, and your own philosophies.
Besides, buying a book labeled “for dummies” should be an insult, not an option.