I remember that the 18th-century France thinker Rousseau once said: "Whether male or female, I think that there can really only be two categories of people: the thinking and the non-thinking, and this distinction is almost entirely due to education." ”
There are many ways to divide people, and the division of people into thinking and non-thinking people here really captures the key point of being human beings.
It's just that whether there is a thought or not is entirely attributable to education is worth further discussion. But, in any case, education is certainly the most important reason that influences the formation of ideas.
So what is a thinking person? In layman's terms, it is "this person has a brain of his own". The statement that has a brain is more vivid, in fact, it means that a person has his own unique and systematic view of life, society and the world. The support system for its worldview and outlook on life is tight and strong. Therefore, thinking people are generally stronger in their hearts. Once a person has formed his own system of ideological support, it is not easy to change easily.
However, this will not be innate, but will be accompanied by a long life experience and, as Rousseau said, it will be due to education.
A good education allows people to learn to think independently, so as to become thoughtful. Bad education brainwashes people, so that they become thoughtless, only a microphone, or parroting, and everyone follows the clouds.
Education that allows students to learn to think independently does not directly tell students the answers, but provides materials and different perspectives, and then allows students to think and choose for themselves. In the end, there is no standard answer, as long as you can say your own reasons, as long as you follow the principles of logic and facts, then you can look at it however.
A thinking person is the unique and spiritual life in heaven and on earth. Your feelings are from your head and your unique feelings, how can you easily replace them?
Human life is actually very small and fragile in the vast universe. But if you have a mind, you'll be strong, strong, and confident. No longer cares how many labels are attached to you by external forces. As long as you believe in your heart, even if there are tens of millions of people, they will send out the spirit of "I will go". Therefore, a thinking person is actually an awakened person.
To be enlightened is to realize where one's life as a human being has come from, how it is, and where it is going.
Immanuel Kant, in his famous Critique of Pure Reason, referred to three permanent problems of human reason, which he believed were the concentration of our rational interests.
The three questions are:
1. What can I know?
2. What should I do?
3. What can I hope for?
In fact, people have been struggling with these three problems throughout their lives.
Whether a person is clear or confused must examine these three questions and then give his own answers.
Kant said:
The first question is purely speculative.
The second question is purely practical.
The third question is both practical and theoretical.
A thinking person must be someone who likes to deal with thinking people. Their way of life was, as Newton said: to be in the company of Plato, to be in the company of Aristotle, and above all to be in the company of the truth. This became the motto of Harvard University.
Human life is only a stinky skin, and if you have nothing but your mind and soul, there is nothing left. Therefore, the true distinction between people is their minds and souls contained in their bodies. Therefore, a true friend is also a soul mate.
A person who is learned is not the same as being thoughtful. A learned person is not necessarily a thoughtful person, but a thoughtful person must be a learned person. Because the mind must be lodged and attached with the help of learning. Otherwise, it will become a tree without roots and a foundation without seedlings.
Scholars often asked for a well to be drilled in one direction and for water to be drawn. However, this is not the case with thinkers. Thinkers are often the ones who can make a long contribution to the history of mankind.
But the tragedy of mankind is often that people like to use the standard of digging a well to demand that a long river be opened. The insight of the thinker was always far beyond his time. Therefore, it is inevitable to break away from the mediocrity and be rejected by the mediocrity. Therefore, the secular life of human beings, since ancient times, thinking people is not very perfect. Anger comes out of poets, ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign.
Sima Qian said: "King Wen of Zhou detained and acted in "Zhou Yi"; Zhong Nieu's "Spring and Autumn"; Qu Yuan's exile is endowed with "Lisao"; Zuoqiu is blind and has "Chinese"; Sun Tzu's bare feet, "The Art of War" is revised; Buwei moved to Shu, and the hereditary "Lu Lan"; Han Fei imprisoned Qin, "Difficult to Say", "Lonely Anger". ”
In fact, this is the truth, and thought is often the sworn enemy of autocracy.
In a free and open society, thoughtful people are often happy. In a free and open country with a sound democracy and the rule of law, thoughtful people often have a great reputation, are respected by society, and often live a long life and die without illness.
Thinking people are the product of both talent and education. In an infinitely complex and diverse world, people are of course free to choose.
This brings us back to the old question: is it happier to be a disgruntled Socrates or a satisfied pig?
A thinking person naturally comes up with his own answer. However, one thing that must be emphasized is that the difference between humans and ordinary animals is that humans have more fun in thinking than ordinary animals.