I’m deeply concerned about the level of simple-mindedness that is so pervasive in the world. What the world needs now is wisdom!
This week’s conversation is about a most-impactful world event in my lifetime. Given my age, there are lots of world events to choose from!
Choosing an event is one thing. But, identifying why it was or is impactful is something very different. The “Why” question pushes us past knowing something has happened. We must consider how the event was impactful to us personally.
Some impactful events
Here’s a list of U.S. and world events in my lifetime, in no particular order, that I can think of off the top of my head:
1). Vietnam War
2). John F. Kennedy assignation
3). John Glenn walking on the moon
4). Resignation of President Richard Nixon
5). The attacks on the U.S. on 9/11
6). Recurring mass murders in the U.S.
7). The 20-year involvement of the U.S. in Afghanistan
8). Killings of Kent State college students by the National Guard
9). The Cuban missile crisis and back-yard bomb shelters
10). An interstate highway system
It’s hard to say which of these, or other events, would be most impactful. Impactful to me? To the United States? To the order of things in the world? Or, to the price of oil?
What impactful looks life
Here’s an example of a world event that I would call impactful. On Memorial Day 2022, I posted on LinkedIn about my father’s service during World War II. He was in Europe; he crossed the English Channel in early July 1944. My father was with the U.S. forces that went across Europe, all the way to Berlin.
I received a number of comments on that LinkedIn post. Two of the respondents mentioned that they appreciated my fathers service. They were personally involved in the outcome of the war. How so? Both mentioned that their fathers were survivors of a concentration camp!
To me, that’s an example of a life-impacting event. Those two individuals both had memories of that war. Particularly, how it directly impacted their family, as well as other relatives who did not survive the war or those camps.
While writing this story, I received a response to my LinkedIn post about first-time events in life. In the post, I referenced my time as a college student in Washington D.C. The commenter mentioned that he was in D.C. when the Pentagon was hit on 9/11. He saw the smoke. That’s another example of an impactful life event.
Similarly, we can be observers of many local and world events. Those events may impact us somewhat. But, we are often not directly or deeply moved by what has happened because the event happened somewhere else, to someone else.
Pick an event
Back to the original question. If I had to think back across the course of my lifetime, I would not pick any event on the list I proposed. Instead, I would likely choose a trend, a predominant mindset, that I see in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world.
That is, I’m deeply concerned about the level of simple-mindedness that’s so pervasive in the world. It’s evident in the U.S. and other countries in the form of extremist politics and excessive nationalism. In the news, it appears as conspiracy theories.
Most bluntly, simple-mindedness shows up as believing a lie for which there’s absolutely no confirming evidence. Surprisingly, many people never ask that fundamental question “Is this really true?”
Unfortunately, the simple-minded lack the discernment to know the difference between good and evil, thus their beliefs are unfounded. Worse yet, their actions are misdirected.
How scripture defines simple-mindedness
What follows are some references from the Book of Proverbs about being simple-minded. Note that simple-mindedness is NOT a lack of native intelligence. Also, it’s not an absence of common sense. So, what is simple-mindedness?
1). Proverbs 14.15: The simple believe everything they hear. No matter how outlandish or improbable. In contrast, critical thinkers pay attention to where they go in life.
2). Proverbs 14.18: The life of the simple-minded is marked by foolishness. Again, the contrast is with those who are critical thinkers, especially in regard to getting the facts.
3). Proverbs 22.3 and Proverbs 27.12: The simple-minded lack foresight. They don’t think ahead. Or, consider likely outcomes for their decisions. The result? They walk into all kinds of problems. As in the prior two examples, simple-mindedness contrasts with critical thinking. Actually, foolish behavior and lack of foresight are inter-related!
4). Proverbs 7.7: The simple lack character, most specifically, in regard to life experience and discernment. That character deficiency is especially evident in poor choices about relationships. Read Proverbs Chapter 7 to get examples of relationship lies that are used frequently by those who have bad motives.
One New Testament parallel for how the simple-minded lack discernment is the parable of the soils in Matthew Chapter 13. The simple-minded are pictured by the shallow, rocky soil where nothing takes root. What are those rocks, hidden below the surface? In part, they’re our buried prejudices, limiting beliefs, and blind spots!
Simple-mindedness and critical thinking
According to Proverbs 1.4, those who don’t think critically lack subtilty, that is, the ability to think on their feet. We read that same criticism in Proverbs 8.5, which says the simple are not discerning because they lack subtilty.
Worse yet, in Proverbs 1.4, the simple lack discretion as a result of not thinking deeply. This pattern of not thinking on your feet, combined with a lack of deep thinking, thus the inability to think critically, repeats in Proverbs 8.12.
In short, the simple are unable to think fast or think slow! They are not stupid. The simple-minded simply don’t think! Instead, they blindly accept what’s told to them.
Curing simple-mindedness
So, how do we get out of this trap of simple-mindedness? Well, we choose to do so!
For example, in Proverbs 9.6 we are told to “forsake simple-mindedness.” Hence, we make a deliberate choice to abandon being simple or shallow. Also in Proverbs 9.6 we replace being simple with sense making. That’s hard work, but we can learn to do it.
In Proverbs 1.22, Proverbs 8.1-4, Proverbs 9.4, and Proverbs 9.6 Godly wisdom, portrayed as a female (that’s correct, not a male!), publicly and loudly calls to:
The simple,
Those who lack character,
The foolishly overconfident, and to
Those who lack discernment.
Wisdom cures simple-mindedness when we answer that call to grow!
Moreover, in Proverbs 19.25 those who are discerning are very different from those who are either simple-minded or are arrogant know-it-alls. Similarly, in Proverbs 21.11 being wise is compared with those same two character flaws. Therefore, one way we become wise and discerning is to learn from observation, that is, from the mistakes of others!
Wisdom calls us to enter into personal growth. To be teachable. To balance knowing and doing. proverbsforprofessionals.net
In short, wisdom calls us into a balanced, precept-driven life. Since it’s an open call, wisdom is available to anyone.
To repeat, personal growth is not dependent on our native intelligence! And, wisdom is not common sense! Instead, wisdom is knowing what to do, and then doing the right thing, as kept in balance by a Godly character (see Proverbs 2.6).
What wisdom brings to us
Wisdom calls us to think critically. And, to be discerning. See Proverbs 1.4-6 and Psalm 119.130 for how discernment helps overcome simple-mindedness. Yes, we develop those two capabilities overtime as we mature emotionally. Both Proverbs 1.4 and Proverbs 7.7 mention inexperience as a factor that contributes to simple-mindedness.
When we choose to grow; we choose to build character. Plus, we can outgrow our inexperience. And, we can overcome our lack of discernment. More importantly, we can build critical thinking skills. The foundation for that growth is wisdom.
The outcome of intentional growth is wise-heartedness, as described (my paraphrasing) in Psalm 19.7 “God’s word makes a simple person wise,” Proverbs 9.9 “the wise become wiser,” Proverbs 10.8 “the wise hearted soak up the precepts,” and Proverbs 16.21 “the wise hearted are discerning.”
A serious warning!
Compare Proverbs 9.4 and Proverbs 9.16. Notice that those two verses are exact copies of each other. Both call to the simple, as well as to the immature and inexperienced.
Now, notice that Godly wisdom is the speaker in Proverbs 9.4.
However, the rationale of the world is the speaker in Proverbs 9.16.
That worldly rationale is describe in Proverbs 9.13 as “simple.” Thus, the shallow rationale of the world appeals to those who are simple-minded!
So, how do I tell the difference between Godly wisdom and worldly shallowness?
I must:
Develop discernment,
Make sense of things, and
Build my ability to think critically.
Those three are elements of being wise-hearted, hence of building a precept-driven character. When I apply those three I am positioned to exercise good judgment.
How simple-mindedness impacts us
Where does this definition and cure for simple-mindedness leave us? I believe we are dealing with an epidemic of simple-mindedness, at least in the U.S. How so? Too many people believe lies and conspiracy theories. Then, too many of those simple-minded people are taking violent action as a result of those perverse beliefs.
I wish this epidemic of simple-mindedness was confined to people who lack faith in God. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. People of faith are exhibiting the same level of simple-mindedness as those who readily buy into the rationale of the world. In so doing, believers are destroying the testimony they have with unbelievers. Proverbs 25.26 warns us about the righteous falling down before the wicked, in part, by supporting godless leaders and believing lies.
The consequences of believing lies and conspiracies are serious.
Here’s one example of the societal impact of false narratives. The families affected by the murders at Sandy Hook had to go to court to prove their children who once existed had been murdered. It has taken years for the cases to work through the court system. All that emotional stress was caused by liars who convinced the simple-minded that the school shooting was a hoax. Why that absurd belief? One argument is irrational fear about gun ownership rights being restricted.
Simple-mindedness and U.S. politics
Neither major political party in the U.S. seems to understand the precept “let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Consequently, they spend inordinate amounts of time criticizing each other rather than finding consensus on substantive issues.
For instance, in the space of around 25 years, both parties exonerated a president instead of impeaching him for outrageously idiotic behavior. One outcome is that when there are no rational boundaries for behavior, it’s easier to spread lies and conspiracies.
As with Sandy Hook, the simple-minded believed the Democrats after the 2016 election that there was Russian meddling in the election outcome. After endless hearings, there were a half-dozen or so convictions on unrelated charges, but no widely-accepted smoking gun to confirm the conspiracy theories.
Not to be outdone by the Democrats, the Republicans have been pushing “alternate facts” about the 2020 election, without offering any proof that can be validated, or accepted in the dozens of court cases they lost immediately after the election. When your own attorney general tells you that claiming voting machine fraud is stupid because the paper ballot count will confirm the machine counts, you don’t have a case.
Why not change?
The simple-minded continue to believe, even when there’s no confirming evidence.
Why believe lies and conspiracy theories? Because those false narratives and idiotic theories conform to the perverse world view of many. Thus, confirmation bias fuels false beliefs that lead to criminal actions.
For example, someone reads hate speech on the Internet about replacement theory, buys an automatic weapon, and murders people in a grocery store. Lies fuel hatred.
In short, simple-mindedness is deadly. To our society. To democratic processes such as the Electoral College. And, to the lives of those who are gunned down by mass murders.
What’s another path?
As individuals, or as a society, there’s an alternative to simple-minded extremism. We can take advantage of the three tools already discussed: critical thinking, sense making, and discernment.
One recent example is the response of NATO and its allies to the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. Those nations were able to set aside differences and develop a unified response, fairly quickly, to the humanitarian crisis caused by the Russians. Are there costs involved in those sanctions? Of course. Higher prices for natural gas and gasoline worldwide are one negative outcome.
Similarly, in the face of differing opinions, the U.S. and other nations were able to respond to the COVID pandemic. Certainly there’s no single opinion for or against the steps that were taken. However, we do see some semblance of normal life in the U.S. and Europe, even as China continues to grapple with lock-downs.
Some Take-aways
Simple-mindedness can be cured! I can choose to make that change.
Therefore, choose wisdom! Choose to live a precept-driven life. Be deliberate about learning and applying wisdom. Balance what you know and what you do with guidance from a Godly character.
Discernment, sense making, and critical thinking certainly are not a cure-all for all the world’s problems. However, they do position us to hear and respond to God’s guidance in our lives.
Discernment, sense-making, and critical thinking are our way out of being simple-minded. What Solomon suggested 3,000 years ago will work well today.
We are not condemned individually to continually make foolish choices because we lack foresight and believe everything we hear or read.
We are not condemned as a society to allow extremist political beliefs on both the left and the right to destroy our society.
Wisdom can draw us back to the center where we can live safely and productively.