Nothing makes me prouder than when my 11-year-old brother finishes a statement with "according to _______."  He's already sourcing his information! He's learning quickly.

An incident yesterday on a friend's Xanga site, regarding a post he meant to be funny, has reminded me of the importance of a practice most people don't take time to engage in anymore: question. things.

The post was intended to add a little levity through lighthearted deception. He didn't expect anyone to take the post seriously, but most readers (some who had been reading him for years) took the entry at face value and believed it. It caused some problems and evoked apologies from said user. But there were clues all over the post that indicated it was a prank, a la April Fools' Day (albeit in July).

If just a few people had taken just a few seconds (seriously -- less than a minute) to read carefully and compare with what they already KNEW of the user, they would have known what was up, and the astonishment would have subsided into laughter and all would have been well. But they didn't. I received a direct message from the blogger saying I had been the only one to notice anything suspicious about the post. My first thought was: Really?! Out of hundreds of readers? Oy gevalt.

And that's when I decided it would be a good idea to hash out for myself (and anyone else who is interested) why critical thinking skills are important.

Anyone who knows me even remotely well makes jokes about my chronic skepticism and my need to go to primary sources for my information. I don't take things at face value. Just today, a Twitter buddy said the idea of me as a nun (I'd implied that was my backup career option) was "hilarious," because "I can just see your reporter personality saying to the Church. Oh it's doctrine. Okay, I'll take your word for it."

Hilarious, because I don't DO that. And neither should you. A lot of people will try to lead you astray with misinformation, because they know most readers/watchers/listeners never take the step of going directly to the primary sources for information. Everyone is guilty of spinning information their way, frequently. Especially those who have an uninterrupted platform for dispensing their own rhetoric, mixed with a few facts. Don't be angry at them; it is often not malicious. But it is irresponsible not to question and seek out biases to put information in context. To consider arguments on the OTHER sides (there are rarely just two), so you can weigh them and use a preponderance of evidence as your guide, instead of fancy or voluminous rhetoric.

The better you get at seeking out meaning and purpose behind even the smallest things, the better you will become at communicating the reasons and evidence for your opinions and ideas. And the funnier life becomes. Trust me. Almost everything gets funnier, the more deeply you think about it.

Just, be smart. Use those beautiful minds we've been given, and exercise them like you're training for the Brain Olympics.

OK, that is all. Carry on. : )