Nuanced Thinking for a Better World
Nuance is essential in art.
In music, the slight raising or lowering of pitch can brighten a song or alter its spirit. In paintings, a subtle color variation can change the tone of a work. And in fashion, nuance can tie a look together with “a little bit more, or a little bit less.” But nuance is important far beyond the arts; it’s key to a high functioning free society.
Like music, painting, and fashion, there’s an art to conversation. We begin learning this before we’re even born. Studies have shown that babies start learning vocal rhythm and patterns in the womb.
Conversations occur for many reasons. They happen spontaneously for enjoyment and the sharing of experiences. Or purposefully to facilitate an exchange of goods and services. But in every conversation, nuance is essential. We recognize when someone is joking without them announcing it. We’re trained to identify exaggeration when a friend is telling a story. We must also learn nuanced thinking.
One of the hallmarks of a free society is freedom of speech, and thus, freedom to disagree. These disagreements are critical for advancing civilization. On every issue, there is a myriad of views. Instead of embracing a spectrum of opinions, it seems we’ve succumbed to splitting. Splitting is a term used in psychology to describe “the division or polarization of beliefs, actions, objects, or persons into good and bad by focusing selectively on their positive or negative attributes.” By failing to recognize nuance, conversations are less constructive, and tribalism grows stronger.
It’s true; humans are, by nature, tribalistic. We crave bonds and a sense of belonging. A byproduct of our tribal tendencies is the urge to exclude those who aren’t part of our tribe. As tribalism becomes more potent, our willingness to recognize nuance deteriorates. Those who have differing views become opponents. Those who aren’t with us are against us, and ideas from outside the most powerful tribes are ignored altogether.
As we consider various situations occurring throughout the world, we must embrace nuance and think accordingly.
How can we practice nuanced thinking?
Beware of false dichotomies — false dilemmas are everywhere. This fallacy oversimplifies reality, reducing options to either-or scenarios, despite the existence of many alternatives. When we reduce complex situations to black or white, we risk a rise in extremism.
Vary your content intake — you are what you consume. Limiting your information to a handful of sources hinders free thinking. Just as physical wellness requires vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from various foods, our ability to seek truth relies upon our willingness to intake information from different sources.
Exit the echo chamber — it's impossible to learn from others if you only interact with those who share your views. While it might be more comfortable to have reaffirming conversations, innovators and thinkers are comfortable with people who broaden their perspectives and provide different ones.
Be Patient — immediately jumping to conclusions is a fool’s pursuit, but it’s easy to do in the course of conversation. Admittedly I’m guilty of this at times, as it's easier to ignore considerations that could make us reconsider ingrained beliefs. It’s much more challenging to consider various positions critically. Remember, you don’t need to resort to automatic responses or submit to the impulse to have “the answer” right away. Critical thinking demands time and a willingness to resign yourself to not knowing.
Ignore pressure— It’s ok not to be passionate about everything. The 24-hour news cycle and the prominence of social media create pressure to hold (and publicly declare) a high conviction opinion on everything. If you don’t choose sides in the latest controversy, you risk being labeled uninformed or spineless. Further, you could find yourself outside the tribe. But why do we have to have an opinion on everything, particularly on complicated concepts that require second and third-order thinking? Shouldn’t it be ok to admit that you don’t have enough information to form an opinion?
A marked shift from the tribalistic environment we’re cultivating to one where open debate is encouraged requires individuals to reject the very attitudes that are being embraced today. Education must extend beyond blind faith in polarizing bait click headlines and nonfactual memes. Disagreements must be learning opportunities, not chances to defeat the “opposition.” We must see our neighbors as more than the views displayed on their political signs and bumper stickers. Open dialogue must be encouraged in homes and schools, and dissenters not punished for taking unpopular views. And we must remember that some of history's greatest skeptics are now considered revered philosophers, inventors, and scientists.
We’re accustomed to seeking quick fixes, but for nuanced thinking to prevail, it must be exercised at the individual level, for it cannot be mandated or assigned. When contemplating answers, we must remember that society is a collection of individuals, and casting blame is largely counter-productive and distracts us from self-improvement and greater understanding.
