"We often forget to think for ourselves."

BarcelonaIn a world dominated by immediacy and superficiality, where misinformation is the order of the day and social media forces us to be connected at all hours, thinking becomes almost an act of vindication. Finding a space for criticism and reflection is more necessary than ever, or at least this is what Danish philosopher Svend Brinkmann, author of the book Think (Think, Koan, 2025), which comes a year after its success The joy of missing out (The joy of missing out, Koan, 2024) in which he reflected on FOMO and the fear of always missing out on shots that are supposedly better than yours.

In this new book, the philosopher invites us to rediscover the value of critical reflection in a world obsessed with productivity and instant well-being. "They already have intrinsic value for human beings," he continues.

For the philosopher, thinking takes many forms, ranging from thinking as a solution to problems, thinking as an instrumental act, or simply thinking as the sole objective. "In modern society, we're quite good at thinking to solve problems, but we've forgotten the value of thinking for the sake of thinking," he continues. In light of this, he looks to the Greek philosophers, who celebrated a contemplative life in which thought played a primary role.

Thought, Brinkmann reminds us, possesses fundamental virtues that we often forget in the accelerated pace of contemporary life. Thinking teaches us to be more rigorous, more critical, and, above all, to review our own beliefs with humility and honesty. "These qualities are especially necessary in an era marked by speed and the emergence of artificial intelligence," he warns. In a context where information is abundant but judgment is scarce, these abilities are more valuable than ever.

Thinking well, in short, is not a luxury of the past, but an essential tool for facing the challenges of the present and the future. Beyond intellectual exercise, it is also a way of living with greater presence and depth. To achieve this, Brinkmann proposes cultivating three fundamental attitudes: critical reflection, which allows us to question what we often take for granted; daydreaming, which opens the door to creativity and imagination; and mindfulness, which connects us with the here and now from a more grounded awareness. Thinking well, therefore, is not an end in itself, but a practice that transforms the way we inhabit the world.

Back to school

Now, to recover this reflective space, "we have to find oases where we can escape the demands of speed and the instrumentalism to which we are doomed," he states. Historically, these oases have been, precisely, schools. school comes from ancient Greek and means leisure -"It's reminiscent of Brinkmann. A time that allowed us to focus on important issues without being tied to immediate utility," he emphasizes. In this sense, the author claims the need to reimagine education as a space for thought and not just as a tool for job placement.

In a society obsessed with constant action and immediacy, we must remember that happiness, according to Brinkmann, lies not only in doing, but also in thinking. Injustice, love, and hate, among others, are the most profound forms of connection. Without that deep connection, our happiness becomes superficial and ephemeral.

Finally, for Brinkmann, reflection is not a luxury, but a fundamental human need: "A reflective life is one in which immersive thinking is pleasurable, but also leads to actions that contribute to the happiness and joy of others." In a world that tends to value only speed, efficiency, and immediate usefulness, this is a proposal as brave as it is essential. Perhaps the time has come to recover the value of thinking calmly. After all, as the author argues, to think well is, ultimately, to live well.