When someone is being ‘critical’ of something, it generally means they are looking on it unfavorably, pointing out its flaws and shortcomings. That being the case, one could be forgiven for assuming that critical thinking and negative thinking are the same thing. However, this is not actually the case. The two forms of thinking are entirely different.
Critical thinking is when you consider all aspects of a situation, both good and bad, from an analytical point of view. Negative thinking is solely considering the bad aspects of a situation, refusing to acknowledge or believe that any positive outcome is possible.
Of course, it runs a little deeper than that, but rest assured, we’ll go into greater detail about what critical thinking really is, and how it differs from negative thinking, as well as its opposite form of thought, positive thinking. Critical thinking versus negative thinking is a little more complex than it seems at first!
What is Negative Thinking Really?
Negative thinking is very much like pessimism: with negative thinking, you see the bad in every situation. But there’s nothing wrong with that in and of itself. Critical thinkers see the bad in most situations as well. However, negative thinking completely ignores positive possibilities and outcomes and only considers negative ones.
This is opposed to critical thinking, which is a balanced analytical approach to a situation or problem. Negative thinking precludes the possibility of positive outcomes or considerations. Positive outcomes will either not occur to someone using negative thinking, or if they do, they will be instantly dismissed as pointless without due consideration.
Now, it’s human nature to predominantly focus on bad things or possibilities. When everything is normally going fine in life, one problem can seem like a big deal, even compared to the fact that one’s life is generally going pretty well. When a sticky situation arises, it’s natural to focus on the bad, which is why critical thinkers often have to remind themselves to focus on the good as well.
Is Critical Thinking the Opposite of Negative Thinking?
Seeing as how these are the two types of thinking we are discussing, one could be forgiven for assuming that they are polar opposites, but critical thinking is not the opposite of negative thinking. That would be positive thinking, which does exactly what it sounds like: it considers only the positives, without the negatives being given a single thought.
People will often refer to that kind of thinking as optimism, and it is generally seen as desirable, whereas pessimism is not. However, like with most extremes, blind optimism is just as flawed a thought process as pure pessimism is. After all, some situations do have negative aspects that need to be considered, not ignored.
Critical thinking is the middle ground between these two types of thought: it’s not about picking and choosing to acknowledge or ignore either the good or the bad. It’s about taking both sides into consideration equally. An easy example of critical thinking versus the other two types of thinking is the lottery.
Imagine that you are considering playing the lottery. Positive thinking would result in you telling yourself that you will definitely win, and that losing is an impossibility. Negative thinking will have you telling yourself that losing is the only possible outcome, and winning is impossible. Critical thinking acknowledges that the odds of winning are low, but not zero, and that either outcome could happen.
Is Critical Thinking About Perfect Balance?
While critical thinking may be a mix between positive and negative considerations, that does not mean that the two forms of thought have to be perfectly balanced in any situation. Let’s return to our lottery example to see what we mean.
If you buy a lottery ticket, negative thinking says you will lose. Positive thinking says you will win. But critical thinking, balancing the two, does not mean you assume that you will have equal chances of both winning and losing. There’s a 99.9% chance you won’t win, and an infinitesimal chance that you’ll win. Critical thinking acknowledges this.
If a situation has many bad aspects and only a few good ones, critical thinking should accurately acknowledge that reality. It’s not about trying to balance the good and the bad, it is only about acknowledging that both sides exist in a given situation. And if there truly is no positive or negative side to things, critical thinking acknowledges that as well.
Critical thinking is not about balancing the good and bad, it’s only about acknowledging the true reality of the situation, including all of its possibilities and outcomes, be they good or ill. Only considering the good or the bad is a great way to put yourself in a tight spot, which is why you should always employ critical thinking skills.
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