The United States is as divided as ever. Our country is split politically, socially and economically, and it only seems to be getting worse. Be it the election or just the way current events have been taking place lately, we at the Courier are growing increasingly concerned for the state of our home.

Week after week the people of our nation finds themselves frustrated, and through this frustration, they are lashing out. Yet no one seems to notice. Are they just screaming into the void? Or are people just making a point not to listen?

Unfortunately, it’s becoming more and more apparent that the truth lies in the latter. People have become impatient with hearing out other ideas or thoughts. We surround ourselves with like-minded individuals, and this can be very detrimental not only to our personal growth but to the world as a whole.

Challenging yourself is a healthy way to keep your brain sharp and open to new perceptions. However, we have become coddled through a world of political correctness and trigger warnings. These were at one point a viable resource, and in certain cases still may be. But as a whole, society has been using them as a safety blanket, and it’s directly affecting our ability to become functioning members of the world.

We have become too comfortable with being comfortable.

This isn’t entirely our fault. A large part of the problem is that we are no longer taught to think critically from a young age. While grade schools were once a place for discussion and the broadening of ideas and minds, they are now a factory system for good students who receive high scores on state tests.

We are taught there is a right answer to everything, and any deviation of such is wrong. Anytime we challenge the system we are scolded into submission. We become fragile.

The worst part is all of this happens while we are at a very susceptible age, and it leaves lasting impressions in our minds. We group together with people out of necessity, looking for a support system.

Once hit with adolescence, we struggle to figure out who we are. While this is a healthy and normal part of growth, we desperately look for labels to define us because school taught us everything belongs in a box; there is good, bad and nothing in between.

This belief in good and bad directly inhibits our ability to see past our own beliefs. It leaves us thinking anyone who is different from us is not someone we should be associating with, when in fact just the opposite is true.

This has been increasingly apparent as the age of the internet has been growing. People have an outlet where they can express their opinions with little fear of backlash. While this has the capability to be a place where people discuss their thoughts, it has turned into a wasteland where people can rant without ever listening to the other side of the argument.

Comment threads are a perfect example of this behavior. The basic idea of comment threads is a good one: a place for people to leave their own opinions after reading an article or post and start a conversation. The problem is no one treats them as a conversation. One person posts an opinion, someone else comments that the original poster is wrong, and it turns into a fight.

Instead, people should utilize this feature to broaden their minds. Instead of skimming someone’s comment just to know what you’re fighting back, actually read it. Think about what the person wrote. Think about what made them write that. Believe it or not, this is the first step of critical thinking.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes critical thinking as “using or involving careful judgment about the good and bad parts of something.” While the education system may have failed us in teaching this, it’s something we can teach ourselves to do. It will take work and determination, but it is an important thing to practice as a functioning member of our society.

So what will mass critical thinking do to our society? It will create a healthier and safer space to share our thoughts and respond properly, creating a conversation. It will boost thoughtfulness and listening skills and create a society that is much more empathetic and understanding.

We at the Courier challenge you to try your hand at serious critical thinking. Whenever you come in contact with an opinion different than your own, respond thoughtfully. Challenge it, if you must, but do so in a way that leaves the opportunity for discussion. Do not jump to conclusions. And maybe, just maybe, you will learn to listen and respond thoughtfully, ultimately making the country and the world better bit by bit. It has to start with someone.