Dangerous Dichotomies

Dangerous Dichotomies - "Human brains naturally generate opposites. Someone says black, and we think white. Someone says hot and we think cold. Binary thinking begins as the infant explores her world, playing with her fingers and toes and batting at brightly colored toys attached above her crib. She begins to recognize what is “me” and what is “not me.” In short, she begins to categorize. As adults, people classify ideas in terms of whether they are “me” or “not me.” “Me” is anything that fits within my inner map of reality. “Not me” is anything that is not part of my belief system (and is, therefore, obviously wrong or illogical). Whatever adaptive benefits it has, dichotomous or binary thinking causes problems when it is done unconsciously and without regard for its potential hazards."