Discussion: Becoming free thinkers while keeping our sense of belonging.

Let’s have a discussion on the seemingly antithetical concepts of belonging and free thinking.

Here are my loosely formulated definitions:

Belonging: when our experiences find resonance in others and vice versa. When we experience a sense of belonging, we feel connected to humanity and life in a larger sense.

Free thinking: strongly related with critical thinking and thinking beyond binaries, doctrines and ideologies to find our own individual identity.

Somewhere in our development as human beings, we start feeling conflicted between our need of belonging and our desire to differentiate ourselves from others. This can end up becoming a dilemma for many of us. And yet, in the words of Carl G. Jung: “Nobody can become aware of his individuality unless he is closely and responsibly related to his fellow beings.”

So, how do we hold this inner tension?

Rather than analyzing the topic from afar, we’ll weave abstract analysis with our personal experience.

Here are some prompts that might help us do that:

• Where do you currently get a sense of belonging in your life?
• How do you intentionally practice critical thinking?
• How does the conflict between belonging and freedom of thought show up for you?
• What are some patterns of thought or behaviors that you’ve managed to override thanks to critical thinking and honest self-reflection?

In order to help cover organizational costs (e.g.: Meetup subscription), I’ll be asking for a donation. Your contribution is highly appreciated!

Looking forward to a relaxed evening of collective thinking and candid sharing! 😊