It Hurts to Think for Yourself - by Alex Olshonsky

I recently stumbled upon an “almost-great” line, as deemed by a Financial Times columnist, that I can’t seem to shake off. The columnist quotes Chris Williamson, a prominent figure in the intellectual podcasting scene: “If I know one of your views, and from it, I can accurately predict everything else that you believe, then you’re not a serious thinker.” The Times man’s hesitation to fully endorse this “almost great” quote, perhaps due to its origin from a pod bro rather than a more traditionally “credible” source, adds an interesting twist. But its truth is as inevitable as influencers promoting detox teas. The phenomenon Williamson describes, which Gurwinder terms as “package-deal ethics” and we might call “monothinking,” is endemic in today’s polarized political landscape. It’s a mindset that leads people to adopt a set of beliefs as a bundled software package rather than critically examining each issue on its own merits. The columnist elaborates on this point, noting how easy it is

I recently stumbled upon an “almost-great” line, as deemed by a Financial Times columnist, that I can’t seem to shake off. The columnist quotes Chris Williamson, a prominent figure in the intellectual podcasting scene: “If I know one of your views, and from it, I can accurately predict everything else that you believe, then you’re not a serious thinker.” The Times man’s hesitation to fully endorse this “almost great” quote, perhaps due to its origin from a pod bro rather than a more traditionally “credible” source, adds an interesting twist. But its truth is as inevitable as influencers promot