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What Are Your Thoughts?

Binary: Something having two parts.

Binary Thinking: Binary thinking, also known as Dichotomous Thinking, happens when complex concepts, ideas, and problems are overly simplified into an either/or perspective. Binary Thinking is black and white. Good or bad. Always or never. The gray area in the middle is ignored or goes unnoticed.

Nuanced: Characterized by subtle shades of meaning or expression.

Nuanced Thinking: Nuanced Thinking acknowledges the grey areas and complexities of the diverse point of views and perceptions of reality.

Polarization: Division into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs.

Binary Thinking (also known as Dichotomous Thinking) is an individual's propensity to think in terms of binary opposition, such as “black or white,” “good or bad,” and “all or nothing.” This style of thought may be useful for quick decision-making, but when it comes to complex problems and ideas, Dichotomous Thinking translates into extreme interpretations which can lead to radical results.

The opposite of Dichotomous Thinking is Nuanced Thinking where one acknowledges and embraces the many layers of grey, that is the complexities of beliefs, ideas, and situations, that must be acknowledged and evaluated.

Polarization of ideas, and people, takes place when Dichotomous Thinking is applied to complex ideas. As a result, instead of creating a productive and civil society of critical thinkers, it becomes a less productive, less civil society of biased, subjective, emotional thinkers.

This Choice Element Index is made from, the vast complexities and idiosyncrasies of the individual/society. These component pieces include values, morals, sense of fairness, and the concern for right or wrong, good or bad. Ultimately, these are the determining factors influencing the individuals thinking, thoughts, choices, and actions.

Below are three common types of Dichotomous Thinking:

True or False: Regarding complex topics, there are no absolutes. Many viewpoints possess the qualities of being both partly true and partly false, and/or correct a percentage of the time and incorrect a percentage of the time. Dichotomous Thinkers dwell in the realm of superlatives, unable to perceive or much worse calculate probabilities that would impact their ability to create clarity in their beliefs.

Good or Bad: As represented in the symbol, the Yin and Yang says it all. It represents the interconnectedness of the world. The dark is a byproduct of the light and the light a byproduct of the dark. Of greatest note, there is a small white dot within the black, and in turn a small black dot within the white. Powerful. There is no absolute good or absolute bad. All things are a range of both.

Identification By Classification: Binary Thinkers narrow-mindedly place people into categories. The lens through which one views another person, impacts and determines their thoughts, beliefs, and ideas. Just one example of this, and note how powerful, is where an individual of one political party or persuasion receives information from an individual of another political party of persuasion.

Below are three antidotes For Binary Thinking:

The World of Probabilities: Probabilistic Thinking is the process in which probabilities replace absolutes. Through the process of replacing the superlatives of absolute truth or falsity, one expands thinking, ideas, solutions and probabilities themselves.

Analysis: The Dichotomous Thinker thinks in terms of good and bad. The Nuanced Thinker lives in the multi-dimensional realm of pros and cons, acutely aware both exist simultaneously. The recognition of both values and benefits and the costs and harms. A Synchronistic Paradox.

Intuition: Instinct, Sixth Sense, Divination, these are all examples of your Unconscious Awareness.

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