Hyper-Rational Thinkers in an Increasingly Irrational World

I’m finding that most of my frustrations stem from being a hyper-rational thinker in an increasingly irrational world.

The unfortunate truth is that irrational behavior is difficult to deal with. When someone is being irrational, they don’t listen to logic or reason. What I’ve grown to understand is that irrational people are almost always focused on fulfilling a need that data or rational frameworks can’t satisfy. The need is what matters, not the basis for and consistency of their thinking.

This creates a major challenge because the meaning they give to a situation is commonly different from the meaning that data and logical frameworks would conclude. Their meaning may be provably false but it will remain in place until their base needs are satisfied.

And in many cases, an irrational person’s base needs aren’t going to be fulfilled…ever. Their words are merely shadows cast by their past experiences and outlook on whether the future is looking favorably upon them.

Where this leads me to is a state of sad reflection. It leads me to wonder if Aristotle’s view that “rational thinking is what separates mankind from beasts” explains what’s going on in the world these days.