Reflecting on Critical Thinking: Lessons from Life, Brain Science, and “The Truman Show”

These two-day life class dedicated to the art—and challenge—of critical thinking. In this immersive experience, I explored how our minds work, how beliefs and facts get tangled, and how media and our environment subtly shape our reality. Here’s what I learned, and why it matters.
Unpacking Critical Thinking
At the heart of our sessions was the concept that critical thinking isn’t just a school skill—it’s essential for navigating the world. We started with the two systems of brain function:
• System 1: Fast, instinctual, and emotional thinking.
• System 2: Slow, deliberate, and logical thinking.
Understanding this helped me grasp why I sometimes respond to situations impulsively, while other times I analyze before acting. It’s a constant tug-of-war between intuition and reasoning.
Belief, Opinion, or Fact: Untangling the Web
One illuminating activity involved examining different statements and learning how to distinguish between beliefs (deep-seated convictions), opinions (personal judgments), and facts (statements verifiable with evidence).
• Beliefs often shape how we see the world, but may not be supported by facts.
• Opinions are expressions of personal feelings or thoughts, open to debate.
• Facts can be checked and proven true or false.
This clarity empowered me to better assess what I hear in daily life—on social media, in the news, or from friends.

Critical Thinking Through Film: “The Truman Show”
On the second day, our class watched “The Truman Show,” a film where the main character, Truman, lives his entire life on a scripted TV set, oblivious to the artificiality of his world. Through group discussion, we analyzed how Truman’s reality was shaped by the things around him: his fears, the comfort of routine, and powerful conditioning by authority figures.
This sparked a larger conversation: Are we too living in invisible bubbles shaped by similar forces? It was unsettling but eye-opening. I realized that our fears can keep us from asking hard questions, while comfort zones can stop us from challenging the status quo. Social conditioning, much like in the movie, is everywhere—the rules we inherit, the biases we adopt, the media we consume.
Connecting to Everyday Life
The biggest takeaway: Critical thinking is about questioning the reality presented to us. Whether it’s a belief I hold, an opinion I hear, or a “fact” from the internet, it’s important to ask:
• Is this really true?
• What evidence supports this?
• Who benefits if I believe this?
• Am I acting out of fear or for my own comfort?
Final Thoughts
This class not only made me more aware of these mental traps, but also gave me practical tools for living more thoughtfully. Like Truman, maybe we all need to look for the exit door—and be brave enough to step through it.