Metacognition

Metacognition is an awareness of one’s own thought processes and an understanding of the patterns behind them.

I was introduced to this idea by Desaulniers, our legendary ECR teacher in secondary 5.

I think it’s also about becoming aware of your Cognitive Bias.

Also take ideas from Sociology, become aware of your Ethnocentrism.

Also see Self-Awareness.

Meditation is a practice of Metacognition?

Metacognition enables you to gain clarity. Look at what Bryan Johnson is doing here starting at 31:00. He evaluates the things that are important to work on in the 21st century by putting himself in the shoes of those at the past. Distancing himself from his body and ego.

We are living in the 21st century? What are the things that we should really be thinking about? Those who are intelligent beings from the 2500s, what mattered in the 21st centuries? Of course it will be obvious to them like it is when we look back at the 1600s and 1700s, but that is the kind of clarity we try to have every day. It’s very hard.”

You have to go through the gauntlet of your mind.

You have to try to see outside the Norms that have become the boundary conditions for your thoughts.