Advocacy

Advocacy is taking a position on an issue, marshaling supporting evidence, and defending that position against the arguments of those holding (focusing on) opposing views. We see it staunchly practiced by the most ignorant and uneducated people alongside those deemed the most intelligent and scholarly. Can you check the news and avoid being subjected to it? Can you avoid it?

After talking about focusing last time, discussing advocacy is taking it one step further. Let’s say you take a side on an issue and present the facts to support the point you want to champion. You feel pretty good about your arguments and think you are correct. Now can you shift around to present the opposite side? Why not? Your opponent can clearly make his argument with facts too and he feels just as strongly about his conviction.

After giving attention to a chosen solution, our minds become fixated and captivated by it. Therefore we tend to devalue, discredit, disbelieve, and discard evidence that does not support the solution. Both sides squaring off are experiencing the same thing.

Throughout our education system we have been conditioned to practice advocating opinions. It is the foundation of our political system and our democracy. However it can be destructive to problem solving, bypassing critical thinking. Arguing for specific solutions feeds into our biases, mind-sets, beliefs, and prejudices. It will foster that tendency to focus our attention while defeating objectivity. By squashing down objectivity, you will limit or prevent understanding of problems. We know that without proper problem definition, achieving good solutions becomes much more challenging.

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