ELI5: what does it mean to think in black and white
// explanation
What is thinking in black and white?
Thinking in black and white means you see things as either completely good or completely bad, with nothing in between [1][3]. It's like thinking a movie is either the best thing ever or the worst thing ever, with no "pretty good" option [2].
Why do people think this way?
Some people's brains are wired to see things in extremes rather than noticing all the shades of gray in the middle [1][5]. It can happen when we're stressed, scared, or dealing with certain mental health challenges [3].
What does it feel like?
When you think in black and white, you might believe you're either perfect or completely terrible, or that people are either wonderful friends or total enemies [2][3]. There's no room in your mind for "pretty good" or "a little bit of both."
How can you change it?
You can learn to notice the middle ground by asking yourself "What's something in between these two extremes?" [3]. Practice looking for the gray areas, like how a friend can be really kind sometimes and annoying other times [2].
// sources
Black and white thinking is a thought pattern that makes people think in absolutes. For instance, you may think you are either always right or the world's ...
How Black and White Thinking Hurts You (and What You Can Do to Change It) ... Black and white thinking is the tendency to think in extremes: I am a brilliant ...
Oct 16, 2024 ... Black-and-white thinking is when someone sees things as all good or all bad, with no middle ground or gray area. For example, you might decide ...
Jun 13, 2022 ... I try to understand everything, and figure out what's best. Which means I end up being quite principled, so if that is what they are criticizing ...
Feb 6, 2018 ... Black and white thinking means seeing the world one way or another, so to speak. Some people think in black and white terms; some see things in terms of shades ...
Video by Briana MacWilliam
Video by Productivity Guy
Video by MatthewGibsonMD
