Cogito Obligatur: Turning Descartes on his Head

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With all due respect to Descartes, it's high time we rethink and revise what cogito ergo sum actually means. Descartes famously declared, "I think, therefore I am," implying that thought is a prerequisite for existence.

Unfortunately, in today’s world, algorithms spoon-feed curated content, politicians manipulate public opinion through cheap (and often misinformed) rhetoric, and the media prioritize corporate profits over genuine information. As a result, critical and creative thinking are slowly becoming lost arts, while anti-intellectualism is on the rise.

That’s why I argue we should expand on Descartes by flipping his argument on its head: I am, therefore I think—and should think. Thought should not just be a prerequisite but a requirement of existence. Thinking is, and must be, a civic and intellectual duty. If we exist, we owe it to ourselves to engage in critical and creative thought—otherwise, what’s the point of existing if we’re just mindless freaks?

Maybe it's time to retire cogito ergo sum and embrace cogito obligatur—thinking is obligatory. Because at this rate, we desperately need it.

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