Seeing Through the Noise: Rational Thinking, Critical Thinking, and What Sets Us Free

8 Billion Different Lenses Show Us A Diverse World

Peter Crone once said, “Life will present you with people and circumstances to show you where you’re not free.” Those words have stuck with me for ages. A lot like Dr Wayne Dyer’s beautifully crafted words, “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change”. They might mean something different to me than they do to you—and that’s what got me thinking today about rational thinking versus critical thinking. How do we see things, and why do we see them so differently?

Take a second here. Stop, grab some paper or your phone, and write down what Crone’s words mean to you. Where do you feel stuck? What’s life pointing out? Let that sit while we dig in—because our brains are amazing at finding patterns, and that shapes everything. My wife and I talked this over on our morning walk.

We’re made to notice connections—years of evolution have turned us into pros at spotting them, like a sound in the bushes or a pattern that makes sense. It’s what keeps us going. But when COVID-19 came along, why did some of us see a big overreach—a power grab later backed by the Australian Human Rights Commission—while others saw a shield they could trust? What’s rational thinking got to do with it, and how does critical thinking change the view?

Go back to 2020. State premiers shut down cities, Chief Health Officers made mask rules, and freedoms—like moving, choosing, speaking—got squeezed. Some of us felt deep concern: curfews, forced quarantines, police getting heavy. Others saw a smart fix for a virus spreading fast. The Human Rights Commission’s 2021 report gave a nod to the doubters—big restrictions and forced stays went too far, often without good reason. Why did we split? Was it the patterns we saw—or the ones we missed?

I think it’s both. Doubters might’ve picked up on history—like extra security after 9/11 or surveillance growing (think The Patriot Act). Their brains tied old controls to now: big power, fear pushing people, rights swapped for “safety.” That one still gets me a bit. Others saw an easier path—trust the system, believe science and politicians keep us safe. No worries, just a usual crisis plan. Being smart didn’t decide it—job, class, or education didn’t draw the line. A janitor and a CEO could see it totally different, and they did.

It is about now I would refer to my earlier Substack on ‘Suggestibility’ (refer link below). Did some old patterns wake up the doubters? Maybe. If you’ve seen power push before—like in wars or tough times—you’re ready to spot it again. COVID’s “emergency” feel, with its fast, top-down orders, might’ve nudged those gut feelings, saying, “This looks familiar.” For others, it was basic: virus is bad, rules are good. No need to look deeper. Our brains sort what we’ve been through—so how do rational thinking and critical thinking fit in?

The Power of Suggestion in a Crisis

To me, rational thinking means figuring things out with facts, finding a clear path, picking truth over comfort. Critical thinking’s like its tougher mate—checking, questioning, digging into what’s assumed and the reasoning backing it. Rationality says, “This matches the facts” (think about how many times epidemiologists were wheeled in); critical thinking asks, “Are the facts right? Who’s behind them?” With COVID, rational thinkers on both sides stuck to their patterns—doubters saw overreach, believers saw safety. Critical thinkers might’ve pushed more—why these rules, who wins, what’s it cost? Not everyone does that.

Epidemiologists—folks who study how diseases spread and use data to find patterns—weren’t the only truth-tellers in that mess. Their work didn’t always match the response yet the general public could not join those dots. Take the premiers and Chief Health Officers. They went with one plan—lockdowns, mandates, no stopping. Rational? To them—pandemics need quick control. Critical thinking might’ve found gaps: low risk for most, rights slipping, control, costs bigger than benefits. Doubters went critical, believers stayed rational in their box. Both thought they were right, but one side’s plan felt set, like the view couldn’t change. Does rational thinking trap us? It can, if our starting point won’t budge—and critical thinking doesn’t always break out, something life keeps showing me.

So, what are they? Rational thinking’s a way of working things out—reasoning, balancing, adjusting. Critical thinking’s similar, just stronger—digging deeper, asking more. Can we learn them, or are they just there? Both. We’re born with the ability—finding patterns is natural—but getting better takes work. Some sharpen it over time; doubters who saw COVID’s flaws might’ve practiced that. Others lean on trust, not questions, and that’s where we part ways.

Why did some “rational” people buy the official story completely? Maybe habit—trusting experts for years can quiet doubts. Or fear—COVID’s mess made following feel smart. Doubters questioned because they’d learned to check; believers stuck because their pattern was “politicians know best,” something I personally struggle with. Can we grow it? Sure—teach kids to ask why, push adults to sort facts from fluff. Rationality gets better with use; critical thinking grows with grit and determination. It is brave to step outside the pen of rationality as you are exposed.

Here’s the catch: once either grabs a big moment—like COVID as a rights grab—it can hang around. Some who saw overreach now spot it everywhere: vaccines, climate rules, you name it. It’s called apophenia—the brain linking things that might not connect. Not a problem, just a habit on overdrive. After COVID, those folks look for the next overstep, shaped by what hit them. Fair? Sure. Too much? Sometimes. On the flip side, the trusters might now agree to everything, no questions. Both show thinking going off course.

Does it help or hurt? It’s a mix. Rationality caught the big overreach—backed by that Commission report. Critical thinking made it clearer. Both tripped when fear or routine took over, locking leaders into tough calls. And yes, it shapes what’s ahead—COVID’s a filter now. Some see power grabs all over; others trust more. Neither’s stuck, but both show how our minds work.

I ended up doubting—not smarter, just cautious. I’d seen power stretch before, and the Commission’s take—rights cut, weak reasons—fit what I felt. I landed that rational thinking can trap us in a fixed conclusion if our starting point (the “pattern” or belief we begin with) doesn’t shift. Doesn’t mean I’ve got it all worked out. Rational thinking’s a helper, critical thinking’s a nudge—neither’s perfect. They cut through confusion if you let them, hold you back if you grip too hard. Crone’s right—life shows where we’re not free. So, who’s rational? Anyone brave enough to question their own path—me. How did you see COVID—and what’s steering you now?