THE DECLINE OF CRITICAL THINKING

For much of the 20th century, critical thinking meant something precise: the disciplined use of logic, evidence, and reason to reach sound conclusions. It was the intellectual backbone of education—and by extension, of a functioning democracy and a competent workforce.

But in recent decades, its meaning has quietly shifted. In many institutions, critical thinking now centers on identifying emotional themes, interrogating power structures, and affirming personal narratives. The pursuit of truth has been replaced by the pursuit of moral positioning.

Young minds are increasingly shaped by sophistry—persuasive rhetoric that ignites emotion but obscures reason. These arguments often sound compelling, even poetic. They energize us, stir conviction, and rally support. But beneath the surface, they rely on fallacies, half-truths, and redefined terms. They masquerade as tradition while subtly twisting its meaning.

Sophistry thrives on ambiguity. It avoids clear definitions and cloaks its aims in ideals that seem noble, plausible, even admirable. The words rhyme, the arguments rouse—but they do not reveal the whole truth

So we must ask: Is it true? Or are we simply moved by eloquence crafted to persuade rather than enlighten?

Pope Benedict XVI saw this danger clearly. In Caritas in Veritate, he warned:

“Without truth, charity degenerates into sentimentality. Love becomes an empty shell, to be filled in an arbitrary way… the word ‘love’ is abused and distorted, to the point where it comes to mean the opposite.”

This distortion isn’t confined to secular politics—it permeates religious discourse, corporate culture, and civic life.

The consequences are profound. Today’s graduates often enter the workforce with strong convictions but underdeveloped reasoning skills. Disagreement is interpreted as harm. Ambiguity is feared. Systems are critiqued but rarely improved.

Collaboration falters when every idea must pass a moral litmus test before it can be debated.

Managers report that some employees excel at identifying perceived injustices but struggle with constructive problem-solving. Meetings become minefields. Innovation stalls. Feedback is feared.

When critical thinking becomes a tool for emotional validation rather than intellectual inquiry, public discourse suffers. Debate becomes performance, not persuasion. Policy becomes reactive, not reasoned. Truth becomes tribal—shaped by identity, not evidence.

We see this in the rise of cancel culture, the erosion of viewpoint diversity, and the growing inability to distinguish offense from argument. The result? A society more polarized, less curious, and increasingly incapable of solving complex problems together.

So how do we reclaim the compass?

This is not a call to abandon empathy or ignore injustice. It is a call to reunite heart and mind—to teach students and citizens to think with compassion, not instead of reason.

True critical thinking is not about affirming identity or signaling virtue. It’s about wrestling with ideas, confronting uncomfortable truths, and building the intellectual resilience to navigate a complex world.

If we want a workforce that can solve problems—and a society that can govern itself—we must reclaim critical thinking as a compass for truth, not just a mirror for feelings.