Column 484      December 6, 2024Rodin Statue of Man Sitting and Thinking

Just how much thinking are people capable of? A study on thinking indicates that the average person has 6,200 thoughts per day. Obviously, the quality of thinking is more important than the quantity in determining intelligence and wisdom. A lot of low quality thinking can’t possibly produce high-powered results. So I guess we can say that a lot of high quality thinking is a requirement for being a genius.1 2

Here’s how professionals view cognitive thinking. They say it “encompasses the processes associated with perception, knowledge, problem-solving, judgment, language, and memory.” I believe that when people are born, raised, and educated in the same society, it would seem they would be rather homogenous in their conclusions even though they have differing aptitudes. But in the example below that’s not the case.3

Since we’re all able to produce a lot of thoughts each day, it got me wondering about Americans generally. According to the Associated Press, when 96% of the vote was in, Trump had, 49.97% to Vice President Harris’ 48.36%, or 76.9 million votes to 74.4 million. That shows there are evenly divided beliefs in our country that are about as radically opposed as they can be.4

Below are the voter’s options in the recent election. Yet with these starkly contrasting options, Americans split almost exactly 50/50 on which set of policies they thought would be best for their country in the future. How do you see it?

Voters Choices

When people are taught the actual history of religions, types of governance, economics, and the significance of military might they can conclude for themselves what’s best for building a lasting, prosperous, and strong country. But if they are ignorant in these matters, they can easily be gaslit into believing ANYTHING.

For instance some people actually believe the sex one is born with may not be their proper sex today. Some believe men can get pregnant. Some believe that if a government provides subsidies to its citizens that makes the citizens more independent. Some believe that a government must focus on equality of outcomes. Some believe a government must regulate speech to prevent misinformation. Some believe the government debt doesn’t mean anything since we supposedly “owe it to ourselves.” That list of nonsensical beliefs has riddled history with its many failures.

Yet, here we are Americans, a great nation where half of the citizens may not be thinking clearly. With a national debt of more than $36.2 trillion and soaring, we’re bankrupt with a clear lack of direction. There’s no question that Trump and his team have their work cut out for them. They must not only fix many problems but they must rebuild a universal attitude in the people that can withstand the corrective measures the entire country must go through to survive as a great power.

Keep in mind that great change is usually accompanied with turmoil. Markets will be vulnerable.

To your health.

Ted Slanker

Ted Slanker has been reporting on the fundamentals of nutritional research in publications, television and radio appearances, and at conferences since 1999. He condenses complex studies into the basics required for health and well-being. His eBook, The Real Diet of Man, is available online.

For additional reading:

1. New Study Suggests We Have 6,200 Thoughts Every Day by Robby Berman from Big Think

2. If You Say Yes to Any of These 7 Questions, Science Says You're Definitely Smarter Than Average by Jeff Haden, Contributing editor, Inc.

3. Psychology 2e OpenStax Editing Version 2024-2025 (Click contents for differing chapters.)

4. Trump Falls Just below 50% in Popular Vote, but Gets More than in past Elections by Domenico Montanaro from WHYY.org