An independent thinker is someone who is not influenced or controlled by others in matters of opinion, conduct, etc. I am what is known to psychologists as an Independent Thinker, and these are my thoughts.
Whenever something comes along that I find interesting, I find myself pursuing the object of my curiosity to the extreme; I allow nothing to get in my way of my desire to learn all that I can about the things that capture my interest. I let absolutely nothing stand in my way if it meant that I might learn something.
Formal education was a nightmare for me, as I would always seek out the meanings and truth behind everything my high school teachers or college professors said. Often times, they were correct in their teachings, but on occasion, they happened to be completely wrong, and I had the hard evidence of research to back up my suspicions. Unfortunately, the modern educational system does not allow for any input from the students. If I were ever given the opportunity to teach, I would want as much insight from my students as possible, especially if it meant that my teachings were wrong.
Thanks to the Internet, and public libraries, information is more accessible now than at any other point in human history. But not everything is known, and even if it is known or documented somewhere, does not necessarily equate the concept that the information can be easily obtained. Some times, I have to go to great measures to obtain the information and knowledge that I am interested in.
Consider for example, the extremes I had to go through just to capture the images of abandoned buildings that I find to be hauntingly beautiful, scary, and at the same time, in desperate need of a through investigation. The best examples of such include The Hotel Adler Spa, Letchworth Village, and many others.
My father always spoke of three important qualities that every scientist needs to focus on in their work. It wasn’t until years later that my true love, Angie (whom I have been in a relationship with for well over a decade), taught me the true value of those three important things. Those three things are precision, neatness, and efficiency.
In my daily life, I often think about ways in which I could be more precise in my abstract thinking, how I can be neater in the way I live my life, and how I can make things more efficient. It is common for me to frequently get lost in thought on a regular basis, and it seems that the best ideas, solutions, and life lessons come to me at very inconvenient times. It seems as if whenever I am completely focused on a specific task which demands my full attention and awareness that a fantastic idea will come to me, which is one of the many reasons why I always carry a pen and a notebook with me at all times.
Angie was the one to formally introduce me to photography and take it seriously. Since then, I have added photography to my documentative and explorative pursuits. It is my online blog which serves to hold all of this information together.
My head is always filled with thoughts of abstract thinking, creating, and making the world a better place. Often times I will ask people what they do, and if they reply with their job title, I ask them what they do or have for the world. These are the thoughts of an independent thinker.
I love this description of independent thinkers. A quality I find in myself as well I believe – great piece thanks
You’re welcome! As always, more to come. 🙂 -Thomas