As a critical thinker, my strongest characteristic is having respect for good reasoning wherever I find it. I am a very logical person and seek to find the truth in every situation even if it proves that I was incorrect in a situation. A well-constructed argument that lays out evidence and relies on facts rather than emotional support will most likely sway me if the reasoning is sound. I appreciate the logical analysis of others and a thought-out response that doesn’t attack anyone personally, rather the ideas. I am good at picking up at logical fallacies and being able to detect when another person is not being a critical thinker, but an emotional advocate.
However, I find it hard to have patience or empathy with people who do not employ sound logic into their defense of a claim. When I believe that I cannot convince someone through a logical discussion I get frustrated and feel as though both parties are wasting time. This occurs frequently in today’s political discourse when people have preconceived notions of an issue that they have gathered from mainstream media or the culture around them that are factually inconsistent. I lack the ability to relate to others when they use emotional arguments that contradict the logical ones, unless the emotional argument is rooted in a deeper objective moral truth and not just feelings.