Have we forgotten individual thought? Thinking for ourselves in our world of today.

It feels like we've forgotten how to think for ourselves.

It feels like we've forgotten how to think as an individual - with our own ideas, thoughts, and perspectives.

To think critically and form our own opinions about topics and in conversations.

To pull from our own experiences and life wisdom.

To pull from our own knowledge and learnings, and then apply that or turn those into new thinking or reinventions about different concepts.

To take knowledge and topics and say what we think about it from our own perspective; how we have interpreted the meanings and what ideas come from our mind.

It feels like we aren't thinking for ourselves very much anymore.

Without having to regurgitate what was already said, what's already been shared online, what we've seen elsewhere.

Without simply agreeing with someone's opinion and then relaying that as ours too.

Without having to pull out an idea, thought, or perspective we heard from someone else.

Without having to pull out a concept or quoted words from something we saw on social media.

But to what extent is our ideas, thoughts, opinions, perspectives, our own?

Or are we simply meant to merge and mix up everything we've seen and heard and experienced, into forming our individual thinking in such a way.

Is it that everything we've consumed, been exposed to, processed into our minds and thinking space, is what makes up ourselves and what we think and believe in?

Is it inevitable that our thoughts and opinions and perspectives are tied into and connected to everything that sprinkles into our life?

From books, to videos, to talk shows, to conversations with people, friends, family, mentors, strangers, the internet and social media, our life experiences, and then ourselves as a whole human being who intakes everything as we live this life.

The social aspects, the environmental influence, modernity, the people we're surrounded by, the world we're living in today, technology and the online world, how we grew up, our upbringing, our emotional and internal processing, personal lived experiences, and individual brains and minds and hearts.

Is it that we can never fully and truly think for ourselves without borrowed perspectives and wisdom, passed down advice, inspired ideas and thoughts, influenced opinions and agreements/disagreements and beliefs?

From things we grew up believing and are surrounded by.

From our environment of people, places, belief systems, virtual spaces and physical spaces.

From everything all around us, to everything that touches us.

Tangible and intangible.

All mixed and matched and bundled up together.

Connected from everywhere - every place, space, conversation and discussion, person, spoken words, film dialogue, pages of text - everything.

Let's remember how to think for ourselves again.

And maybe thinking for ourselves as individuals again means it naturally encompasses all of these things we are exposed to and consuming in our lives,

from everywhere we go and everything we see and all that we know and all that we are and can be.

Maybe it's natural that we are going to borrow ideas and take in others' perspectives.

Maybe it's natural that we are going to be influenced by others' opinions and thoughts, and consider those in agreement with what someone was able to word and express so perfectly to you in ways that you weren't able to before.

And maybe we'll all intake from others, and it'll all be part of the formation of our individual thinking and selves.

Because we're also made up of everything and everyone in different ways.

We're like museums and galleries - this idea that we're made up of all that we have loved and experienced.

We are shaped and formed by our lived experiences, including all the people and things we have ever loved and continue to love. And these can influence and inspire who we become, who we currently are, what we also choose to love or end up liking, and how we may think about things.

We can share perspectives, thoughts, and opinions.

We can agree or disagree.

We can have our own reasoning as to why.

We can reflect on our beliefs and values that may influence this why.

So, let's incorporate everything we've encountered into considerations.

Then we begin to unravel all that we align with and all that doesn't.

Twist and mend in your own reasoning, meaning-making.

Question your why.

Critically think and analyse these ideas and opinions of yours.

Where did they come from? Why do I think this? What are my beliefs and values?

With such reflections of our self and world, wouldn't our own individual thoughts come out and be revealed?

In doing so, are we coming back to ourselves at the same time too?

They said to read more, watch more, learn more.

Maybe through all of that, we are naturally building thoughts of our own through the way we interpret, understand, perceive, and become aware of such.

Perhaps, we add onto that, the art of writing - write more.

Write and expand on your thoughts and thinking of certain topics, talk, concepts, ideas, everything.

See what comes out of that process and maybe you'll learn something about yourself.

Just like I am, as I write this piece.

Sincerely,

Sitting With Ourselves