Making Important Decisions

In a few short weeks, I will be teaching an undergraduate Critical Thinking class. The Pennsylvania primary will most likely be one topic we will cover. When people make important decisions like choosing a presidential candidate few people actually think critically. In particular many Americans seem to find intelligence, introspection (examination or observation of one's own mental and emotional processes), and global thinking elitist and strange.

This was made evident in Pennsylvania by the level of importance placed on Hillary Clinton's photo op in Scranton, Pennsylvania where she downed a shot and a beer and reminisced about her childhood summers visiting the area, where she practiced shooting with her father. Other than making a personal connection with the locals her life experience as a child was limited.

On the other hand, Barack Obama grew up as a child of many cultures and as the product of parents from America (mother) and Kenya (father) and Indonesia (step-father), living in both Indonesia and the United States. Is this life experience not impressive? In today's world where the internet, cell phones and air travel have lifted the boundaries of physical distance, global life experience would seem to be more relevant than that of an experience only relevant to a small few.

I'm sure that neither candidate's childhood can answer my questions about health care, education, the economy or the environment in America, or the war in which the United States is engaged in in Iraq and Afghanistan. Kissing babies and waving flags does nothing to quell the violence gripping the United States from within. U.S. relationships around the world have deteriorated and important issues elsewhere have gone relatively unnoticed. People around the world (e.g., Burma, Ethiopia, and Sudan, etc.) continue to suffer from malnutrition, displacement, poor health, poor education, and violence. Focusing on a candidate's lack of a flag pin on his lapel seems laughable in comparison. Cuba and Russia have experienced political change. China has ignored the cries of those around the world seeking humane treatment of the Tibetans. The list of issues that SHOULD grab the attention of the American public and media are infinite, yet ignored. However, Americans... who have great difficulty even locating other countries on a map... cling to their xenophobia (deep dislike for foreigners) as though the rest of the world has no importance. Why has the political process for selection of an American president, who will surely have influence around the world, been so trivialized?

Whether discussing issues within the United States or issues outside of the United States the focus needs to change. You can either emphasize trivial and meaningless background noise or you can familiarize yourself with the issues and their impact on yourself and the rest of the world and decide by thinking critically.

P.S. I did not have the ability to choose which YouTube videos would be selected. I chose the names of the candidates only. The videos that automatically come up are indicative of what I have said above.