Some Surprisingly Candid Insights

What's the takeaway for us?

Scottie Scheffler is widely regarded as the best golfer in the world for several years now. In addition to being a superior golfer, he has always been pleasant, respectful, hard-working, etc. When he speaks, most people listen as he is also a thoughtful individual. I’m reposting what he said in a recent interview as it is quite different from what almost all other top athletes in any sport publicly say (I’ve bolded a few unusual comments)…

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PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland -- On the brink of a tournament that could get Scottie Scheffler to four major wins and three of the four legs of the career Grand Slam at age 29, the unquestioned best player in the world said Tuesday that he doesn't find true fulfillment in winning.

"This is not a fulfilling life," Scheffler said. "It's fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment, but it's not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart."

Scheffler has won two Masters, added a third major when he won the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow this year and has 16 career wins since turning professional. He has, in the past, talked at length about not rooting his identity in golf despite acknowledging how badly he wants to win every time he tees it up.

"That's something that I wrestle with on a daily basis," Scheffler said at Royal Portrush, where the Open Championship begins Thursday. "It's like showing up at the Masters every year; it's like why do I want to win this golf tournament so badly? Why do I want to win the Open Championship so badly? I don't know because, if I win, it's going to be awesome for two minutes."

Scheffler said Tuesday that sometimes he doesn't understand the point of winning, even a major championship, because he knows that the nature of the sport will simply be to move on to next week, where he will be asked the same questions about where he goes from here.

"Is it great to be able to win tournaments and to accomplish the things I have in the game of golf? Yeah, it brings tears to my eyes just to think about it because I've literally worked my entire life to be good at this sport," Scheffler said. "To have that kind of sense of accomplishment, I think, is a pretty cool feeling. To get to live out your dreams is very special, but at the end of the day, I'm not out here to inspire the next generation of golfers. I'm not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world, because what's the point?"

As an example, Scheffler brought up the Byron Nelson event on the PGA Tour, which is a tournament, he said, that he has tried to work to win "his entire life," given it's his hometown event. Earlier this year, Scheffler shot 31 under on his way to winning the event outside of Dallas and still, he said, he was struck by how fleeting the moment felt.

"You win it, you celebrate, get to hug my family, my sister's there, it's such an amazing moment. Then it's like, OK, what are we going to eat for dinner? Life goes on," Scheffler said. "It feels like you work your whole life to celebrate winning a tournament for like a few minutes. It only lasts a few minutes."

Still, Scheffler admitted he can't help but continue to seek out that feeling, however fleeting, even knowing that, statistically, he is more likely to lose than to win every time he plays.

"It sucks. I hate it, I really do," Scheffler said of losing. "We work so hard for such little moments. I'm kind of sicko; I love putting in the work, I love getting to practice, I love getting to live out my dreams. But at the end of the day, sometimes I just don't understand the point."

The point this week, to many of the players in the field, is getting to raise the Claret Jug on Sunday. Scheffler is not immune from sharing that feeling, and he is doing everything in his power to prepare to win his fourth major championship.

In four appearances at The Open, Scheffler has two top-10 finishes and two finishes outside the top 20. It's a testament to his consistently high play at major championships that this tournament is likely the one where his performance has not quite matched his other major starts.

"If I come in second this week or if I finish dead last, no matter what happens, we're always on to the next week," Scheffler said. "That's one of the beautiful things about golf, and it's also one of the frustrating things, because you can have such great accomplishments, but the show goes on. That's just how it is."

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The Bottom Line —

It’s healthy to periodically step back and review what path we’re on: are we focused on the memorable, or are we overly occupied by the mundane?

The takeaway is that we all should regularly do some Critical Thinking about the priorities in our life — and whether our time and efforts reflect them…

Put another way: if we died today, what would our epitaph be?

More importantly, when we cash in our chips, the Big Guy will likely say something like: “My child, I blessed you with several talents, and graced you with multiple opportunities. What did you do with them?”

What will your answer be?

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Here is other information from this scientist that you might find interesting:

I am now offering incentives for you to sign up new subscribers!

I also consider reader submissions on Critical Thinking on my topics of interest.

Check out the Archives of this Critical Thinking substack.

WiseEnergy.org: discusses the Science (or lack thereof) behind our energy options.

C19Science.info: covers the lack of genuine Science behind our COVID-19 policies.

Election-Integrity.info: multiple major reports on the election integrity issue.

Media Balance Newsletter: a free, twice-a-month newsletter that covers what the mainstream media does not do, on issues from COVID to climate, elections to education, renewables to religion, etc. Here are the Newsletter’s 2025 Archives. Please send me an email to get your free copy. When emailing me, please make sure to include your full name and the state where you live. (Of course, you can cancel the Media Balance Newsletter at any time - but why would you?

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Thinking vs Critical Thinking

It's important to know the difference...

I had a nice chat the other day with a friend, and the subject came up: what is the difference between normal thinking and Critical Thinking? I thought we must have covered this before here, but I couldn’t find it. My apologies…

Briefly, Critical Thinking = normal thinking + more thoroughness + wisdom.

Critical Thinking is deeper and wider than normal thinking.

The word “critical” is key. It means thinking that is cautious, reflective, questioning, skeptical, …

A Good Analysis —

From this fine discussion: Thinking is a fundamental human activity, occurring when the mind processes information and forms ideas or concepts. It can be spontaneous, random, or directed, allowing us to understand, interpret, and make decisions about the world around us. Critical thinking, however, is a refined form of thinking. It demands a deeper level of analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information to form a judgment.

Thinking can be passive. For instance, daydreaming or recalling a memory requires thinking but not necessarily any analytical process. Critical thinking, in contrast, is always active. It involves assessing the credibility of sources, identifying biases, and weighing evidence before drawing conclusions.

While thinking can often be based on personal beliefs, feelings, or incomplete information, Critical Thinking necessitates a rigorous approach to ensure objectivity and accuracy. It's a skill that needs to be cultivated and practiced, requiring one to be skeptical, open-minded, and methodical.

Thinking is inherent and is something we do every day without much effort. Critical thinking, on the other hand, often requires more energy and attention. It challenges one's own beliefs and assumptions, aiming for clarity, coherence, and logical consistency.

An Example —

From this college course: answer this question with the first answer that comes to mind, no matter what it is… A student went to the campus bookstore and bought two pencils for a total of 10 cents. How much did each pencil cost?

If you answered 5 cents (a total of 10 cents divided by two pencils equals 5 cents), your thinking fits the definition of normal thinking. In other words, it was based on simple recall of memorized information. You recalled those math formulas you memorized in school in order to answer the question.

On the other hand, if you had any other answer, you weren’t just thinking normally — you were likely thinking critically, because you were doing more than relying on recall of basic information.

For those in the latter case, unconsciously their thinking/ reasoning warning light went off. Perhaps they said to themselves, “I can’t tell. Maybe: a) one pencil is bigger than the other, or b) one is a red pencil, or c) one is a bigger pencil. In these cases, one pencil may cost 6 cents and the other 4 cents.”

Or perhaps you thought, “Wait a minute, I need more information.” Maybe you questioned the whole idea of two pencils being so cheap, or you thought that this had to be some type of trick question because it was so simple.

Hopefully, this simple example makes this distinction clearer…

Takeaway —

Put yet another way, regular thinking is like taking a drink of water — which most of us do reflexively a dozen or more times a day.

Critical Thinking is more like going to a winery and trying out several sample offerings. Both times we are swallowing liquids, but at the latter we are much more attentive — and critical!

Some sample good references:

Critical Thinking College Course: University of Alabama

Difference Between Thinking and Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking vs. Thinking

Critical Thinking and Non-Critical Thinking: Key Differences

Thinking vs. Critical Thinking: What’s the Difference?

Thinking vs Critical Thinking: Difference and Comparison

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Critical Thinking

Three Types of Thinking and Why They’re All Important

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Here is other information from this scientist that you might find interesting:

I am now offering incentives for you to sign up new subscribers!

I also consider reader submissions on Critical Thinking on my topics of interest.

Check out the Archives of this Critical Thinking substack.

WiseEnergy.org: discusses the Science (or lack thereof) behind our energy options.

C19Science.info: covers the lack of genuine Science behind our COVID-19 policies.

Election-Integrity.info: multiple major reports on the election integrity issue.

Media Balance Newsletter: a free, twice-a-month newsletter that covers what the mainstream media does not do, on issues from COVID to climate, elections to education, renewables to religion, etc. Here are the Newsletter’s 2025 Archives. Please send me an email to get your free copy. When emailing me, please make sure to include your full name and the state where you live. (Of course, you can cancel the Media Balance Newsletter at any time - but why would you?

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Should parents put their children into the current U.S. Public School System?

Here is a sample current real-world situation.

The vast majority of parents of US K-12 age kids do not have a real choice as to how to educate their children. They do not have the money for a private school, and/or they do not have the time to homeschool, and/or they do not have the competence to homeschool, etc.

Many people are of the mistaken idea that most of the K-12 education issues are the fault of the Department of Education (DOEd). That is a MAJOR misunderstanding, as at least 95% of the issues are due to States or local school boards. Case in point, here are a few very recent school board developments at Fairfax County, Virginia, in chronological order:

In 12/24, there was this: Court Rules Fairfax County Public School’s Pronoun and Bathroom Policies Violate Students’ Constitutional Rights.

Shortly after, the Federalist had this good article about the Fairfax situation.

Subsequently, the Defending Education website lists Fairfax County School Board as one of the top ten worst school boards in the US.

Department of Education to investigate Northern Virginia schools over transgender protections. (Note that this indicates that DOEd is on the side of the parents, against the school board and the State of Virginia.)

Fairfax Mom Confronts School Board For Elementary School Gender Studies. The quandary she and her husband are dealing with is where to send their two sons to school. [Note: despite how her name is spelled on the video, it is actually Caleigh Weichbrodt. Go figure…]

Fairfax School Board removes even the pretense of parent participation.

U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Launches Title VI Investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools. (Note this again says that DOEd is on the side of the parents, against the school board and the State of Virginia.)

Kudos to Caleigh!

But There’s More, MUCH More —

That said, arguing against gender indoctrination is only the tip of the iceberg — i.e., it is literally only about 1% of the current K-12 curriculum problems.

Where are the parents who are publicly objecting to the fact that our children are being taught that there is no God (atheism)?

Where are the parents who are strenuously objecting that our children are being taught to reject Judeo-Christian moral standards (relativism)?

Where are the parents who are aware of and resist that our children are being taught to be entitled (in multiple ways, like grade-inflation)?

Where are the parents who are aggressively opposing the fact that our children are being taught to be anti-American (e.g., in history)?

Where are the parents who are vigorously against our children being taught political science instead of Real Science?

[As fate would have it, this good article just appeared today. This is a tiny part of the misinformation that appears in State-approved textbooks, across the country. Carefully reading through your kids' textbooks is a good way to get an idea of what misinformation they are being taught.]

And arguably most importantly, where are the parents who are intensely objecting to the reality that our children are specifically being taught not to be Critical Thinkers (especially in science)?

The Bottom Line —

All these — and more — are empirical evidence of: 1) how poorly States are doing in operating our K-12 education system, and 2) why keeping and reforming the DOEd is in our best interest. For fifteen (15) reasons, see here.

Scrubbing DOEd and giving more K-12 education money and power to States like Virginia and school boards like Fairfax County’s is beyond absurd.

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Here is other information from this scientist that you might find interesting:

I am now offering incentives for you to sign up new subscribers!

I also consider reader submissions on Critical Thinking on my topics of interest.

Check out the Archives of this Critical Thinking substack.

WiseEnergy.org: discusses the Science (or lack thereof) behind our energy options.

C19Science.info: covers the lack of genuine Science behind our COVID-19 policies.

Election-Integrity.info: multiple major reports on the election integrity issue.

Media Balance Newsletter: a free, twice-a-month newsletter that covers what the mainstream media does not do, on issues from COVID to climate, elections to education, renewables to religion, etc. Here are the Newsletter’s 2025 Archives. Please send me an email to get your free copy. When emailing me, please make sure to include your full name and the state where you live. (Of course, you can cancel the Media Balance Newsletter at any time - but why would you?

Thanks for reading Critically Thinking About Select Societal Issues! Please pass a link to this article on to other associates who might benefit. They can subscribe for FREE to receive new posts (typically about once a week).

Critically Thinking about Perspective

How quickly the good life can just evaporate...

You’ve likely already heard many stories about the tragedies resulting from the recent horrific flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas.

Some parts of it were raised 30± feet in an hour! In other sections, there was literally a 20± foot wall of water that drowned almost everything in its path. This article has many good pictures of the devastation.

As of now, the death toll is a horrific 80 people. It will almost certainly exceed a hundred… The story of a woman surviving being swept down this torrential river overflowing with hazards, for 20±miles, is astounding.

Then there are numerous stories that you’ll never hear about. For example, I have a friend who lives on that river. He is an avid book collector and has two rooms in his house dedicated to antique books. Below is the photo he sent of one room. Note the height of the water: on the door frame, and over the top of his computer and his open printer (both on a desk).

This is what EVERY room of his nice one-story house looks like. What can he do now? He can’t stay there as there is no power or water. He has no furniture to sit on or bed to lie down on. The smell is terrible, and deadly mold is already growing. His car is also totaled. Many roads are blocked. If he does leave, his house may be targeted by scavenging thieves. What does he do?

If you’d like to donate to the thousands of stricken people in this ravaged area, here is a good link listing several worthy choices.

Clearly, prayers are also really needed. You can do that, right?

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Unfortunately, we tend to forget these tragedies after a few weeks. For example, it was less than a year ago that even more people died — and there was more property damage — in NC and TN from Hurricane Helene. Please be generous to these good people who have been struggling to just get by, for many months now. Here is a list of good places for donations.

The Bottom Line —

We often get taken up by the numerous everyday challenges of life. We should periodically stop and put things in perspective, as things can quickly get MUCH worse…

Also, do we really think about the fact that God has given us the opportunity to fix most things today? The parents of the deceased children from these tragedies have no such option. What would they give to be in your shoes?

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Here is other information from this scientist that you might find interesting:

I am now offering incentives for you to sign up new subscribers!

I also consider reader submissions on Critical Thinking on my topics of interest.

Check out the Archives of this Critical Thinking substack.

WiseEnergy.org: discusses the Science (or lack thereof) behind our energy options.

C19Science.info: covers the lack of genuine Science behind our COVID-19 policies.

Election-Integrity.info: multiple major reports on the election integrity issue.

Media Balance Newsletter: a free, twice-a-month newsletter that covers what the mainstream media does not do, on issues from COVID to climate, elections to education, renewables to religion, etc. Here are the Newsletter’s 2025 Archives. Please send me an email to get your free copy. When emailing me, please make sure to include your full name and the state where you live. (Of course, you can cancel the Media Balance Newsletter at any time - but why would you?

Thanks for reading Critically Thinking About Select Societal Issues! Please pass a link to this article on to other associates who might benefit. They can subscribe for FREE to receive new posts (typically about once a week).

Major Life Questions — Part 2

Do we spend enough time to give these sufficient thought?

This is a follow-up to Part 1. I’ll start out by repeating the beginning of that piece…

Due to incessant bombardment of information, plus our being fully immersed in everyday concerns, we rarely step back to see things in perspective. Please give each of these some serious consideration:

Would you like to be a happier person?

Would you like to be a healthier person?

Would you like to be a more financially successful person?

Would you like to have better relationships?

Would you like to feel more fulfilled?

Would you like to better manage your time?

Would you like to have more satisfying employment?

Would you like to increase your chances of saving your soul?

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What if there was ONE simple, free solution to bringing about ALL of these? !!

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The Bottom Line —

Attentive readers will deduce that what can provide ALL of these things, is being a Critical Thinker!

This should not be any surprise to readers, as at the top of all of my Substack pages, I’ve listed the link for “Critical Thinking Benefits.” Please read it!

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Here is other information from this scientist that you might find interesting:

I am now offering incentives for you to sign up new subscribers!

I also consider reader submissions on Critical Thinking on my topics of interest.

Check out the Archives of this Critical Thinking substack.

WiseEnergy.org: discusses the Science (or lack thereof) behind our energy options.

C19Science.info: covers the lack of genuine Science behind our COVID-19 policies.

Election-Integrity.info: multiple major reports on the election integrity issue.

Media Balance Newsletter: a free, twice-a-month newsletter that covers what the mainstream media does not do, on issues from COVID to climate, elections to education, renewables to religion, etc. Here are the Newsletter’s 2025 Archives. Please send me an email to get your free copy. When emailing me, please make sure to include your full name and the state where you live. (Of course, you can cancel the Media Balance Newsletter at any time - but why would you?

Thanks for reading Critically Thinking About Select Societal Issues! Please pass a link to this article on to other associates who might benefit. They can subscribe for FREE to receive new posts (typically about once a week).