When Ignoring Is A Useful Skill

Critical thinking is one of the most important skills you foster in a kid. You could even go as far as saying it’s a survival skill for the 21st century. However, given the sheer volume of information floating around out there (and given the fact that the pile keeps getting bigger), critical thinking on its own may not be enough anymore.  

Enter the term “critical ignoring.” It’s on a lot of thinkers’ minds these days, and for good reason. Figuring out the quality of ideas and information can be made a little easier for all of us if we have tools to deal with the quantity of it first. While “ignore” isn’t a word we like to just throw around with our kids, it can be useful in some cases if we use it strategically.

Here’s a quick primer on what critical ignoring means:

·      filtering out sources of information that we recognize right away as likely to be inaccurate or even harmful

·      being mindful of errors in reason like distraction, hasty generalizations and incomplete information

·      identifying things like phishing, trolling, bullying, clickbait, or other messages based on hate

·      recognizing which sources contain unsupported claims and opinions, and which contain discussion and research

·      focusing our attention on reputable sources that contain reasons, explanation, and evidence to back up claims

Critical ignoring does not mean:

·      picking and choosing the sources that say what we want to hear

·      overlooking information because we don’t like the person delivering it

·      ignoring some points of view while automatically accepting others

·      getting settled in a way of thinking and dismissing new and important information because it doesn’t fit into it

In essence, critical ignoring is a way of filtering, not dismissing. It’s giving more time, space, and attention to ideas and information that are likely to be reasonable, objective and useful. It takes time and practice, just like any essential thinking skill.

Admittedly, this is a fine line to walk, especially if you’re just a kid, but with so much out there, it’s an essential skill to learn. It’s how we teach our kids to deal with information overload, to avoid being taken in by flash over substance, and to spot those who might take advantage of them. It’s still essential to be open minded, to use our good judgement and reason, but it’s also okay be a little picky.