Another brick in the wall. Without independent thinking we are only that: homologous, identical, the very same -- just another brick in the wall. We need independent thinking to make our very own choice, our own conclusion, our own goals. Who else would know better what we want, how we want, why we want? If we let ourselves be decided about, we are nothing more but a chess piece on somebody else's board.
In my opinion life gives us numerous occasions for independent thinking. Of course when we are born and small we can't really have our own decisions. A cry out for milk, maybe, but nothing more. But the older we grow the more independence we gain. In primary school we already start to choose which clothes to wear, picking a high school is also in our hands. We talk to the people we like, make friendships with the pals we enjoy being with, dislike and argue with other ones. In our personal life we can and should think independently.
However, we cannot be that independent all the time -- unfortunately or maybe fortunately. Very much depends on one's environment, the social background, for instance. As for myself, I think I'm quite lucky. My parents never tried to make me do anything against my will, I could always decide what I wanted. And fortunately, I've always had my wishes, my goals, my aims. Chess was a great teacher for this ability.
An example of this willpower and independent thinking could be the decision I made after finishing high school. Willpower I mention because in my opinion it's very much connected to independent thinking: we need to insist on our own will, cannot let ourselves be driven away. When I finished high school and told my parents about my wish to go to London for a year, they didn't like it at all. Especially my mother, a flesh and blood teacher. "You will stay there and won't get a diplom. You should go to uni, like everybody else does." Like everybody else does -- but why should I be like everybody? I went to London and I don't regret it: life experience, improving my English, learning to live on my own -- and make even more independent decisions. And now I study here at the uni, not because everyone else does but because I wanted. It's my life, my wishes, my goals -- my thoughts. Always be true to yourself and not to let yourself be pushed but be the one who makes the move: be the chess player, not the chess piece.
