Who to Believe

Where My Journey Began

Throughout most of my public education experience, I almost always took for granted that information presented by adults is entirely accurate and universally accepted. Of course, I was warned by mother to never fully trust advertisements or strangers; however, if a teacher, family member, or other respected adult presented me with information they were not to be questioned. Interestingly enough, I subconsciously obeyed my mother in this respect for years to come. I always absorbed everything I learned in school and from other adults and never questioned what seemed to me like objective data. In fact, this mental habit stuck with me until my world history civilizations class my freshman year of college.

Where the Magic Happened

Day after day my world civilizations professor, Dr. Robert Barone, would question and challenge notions I held about the world and different cultures. Initially, I rejected Dr. Barone’s lectures when they were not in line with what I was previously taught. Internally, I cringed when confronted with alternative world views. Yet, Dr. Barone planted a seed of doubt within me that beckoned me to start thinking critically about the education I had previously received. Eventually, after taking numerous classes which demanded that I consider various perspectives, I naturally started thinking critically about the information I was presented. In fact, when reading textbooks, I began looking for citations and questioning how the authors collected their data.

Today, I feel grateful that Dr. Barone exposed me to information, ideas, and perspectives that challenged me to start thinking critically about the information I come across. By considering the expertise of my sources, their methodology, and conflicting viewpoints, I feel that I am much better able to process information. Instead of absorbing everything I hear or read like a sponge, I carefully sieve though it to determine what information is legitimate and worthy of retaining.

You won’t put it down!

On the left is one book that not only changed my life but also how I see information. Steven Pinker is not only a renowned scholar and incredibly insightful, but he also goes into great depth as to how he collected and organized his data. It’s a great read for all majors! Click here to read an excerpt on Amazon.