A Method for Reading, Writing, and Thinking Critically- Kathleen McCormick

           The general argument/point made by Kathleen McCormick in her work A Method for Reading, Writing, and Thinking Critically is that today the media and our country in general is full of conflicting opinions. More specifically, McCormick argues/suggests that the media doesn’t tap into/discuss in detailed types of analyses. She writes, “Differences are most often discussed on television and on the radio in terms of inferior and superior, absolute right and wrong, black and white; there is a clear winner and loser.” (pg. 21) In this passage McCormick is suggesting that our country needs to be less black and white and become historically and culturally analytical. In conclusion, it is McCormick’s belief that looking at a topic as right or wrong is oversimplifying complex positions, and that analyses need to be made to include your personal life and the past.
             In my view, McCormick is right because it’s hard to make a correct decision based on claims made without fully analyzing former perspectives from the past and present. For example, you may think proclaiming war on a country is the right thing to do because there seems to be only two answers; declare war or don’t declare war, but if you looked into the past and analyzed the outcomes of past wars you may change your mind or see at least see reason to. Although McCormick might object my statement, I maintain that making a complex decision can be made easier and more accurate by searching into the past or present to form complex ideas. Therefore, I conclude that Kathleen McCormick’s argument is valid; America needs to become less black and white and become analytical engaging in detailed types of analyses.