Critical Thinking: A Skit
Cast:
Poseidon: The God of the Seas
Captain Margie: A wise pirate
Scene: Captain Margie is sitting on the deck of her ship, admiring the clear, blue waves of the 11th sea when Poseidon surfaces.
Poseidon: The God of the Seas
Captain Margie: A wise pirate
Scene: Captain Margie is sitting on the deck of her ship, admiring the clear, blue waves of the 11th sea when Poseidon surfaces.
Captain Margie
Ahoy Poseidon!
Poseidon
Ahoy!
Captain Margie
What have you been up to?
Poseidon
Nothing much, just thinking.
Captain Margie
How?
Poseidon
Huh? Don't you mean to ask: "about what?"
Captain Margie
No.
Poseidon
I don't get it.
Captain Margie
Of course you don't, Poseidon. That's because even though you think you think, you don't really think at all, at least not critically.
Poseidon
What? I can think critically, you jerk!
There!
Was that critical enough for you.
Captain Margie
Nope.
Here, let me help you.
Did you do anything important this summer?
Poseidon
(thinking)
Wow! This is hard!
I guess I see the difference now! Thanks!
(begins to swim away)
Captain Margie
You're not doing it yet!
(sighs)
Have you thought of something yet?
Poseidon
Hmm. Well, I flooded the Nile.
Captain Margie
Why did you do that?
Poseidon
It made me Hapy.*
Captain Margie
And?
Poseidon
It kept people from starving.
Captain Margie
Why would you want to do that?
Poseidon
Well, not starving to death is generally assumed to be a good thing.
Captain Margie
Aha! There it is!
Poseidon
What! What is it?
Captain Margie
You made the decision to flood the river based on a hegemonic assumption.
Poseidon
I did?
Captain Margie
Obviously. You also assumed that people need food to be happy.
Poseidon
Well...they do!
Captain Margie
Or so the hegemony would like you to believe.
Poseidon
Who is this hegemony?
Captain Margie
An elite group of very powerful individuals.
Poseidon
Hmm...Powerful...
Wait a minute! I'm the God of the Seas!
That sounds pretty powerful to me.
Captain Margie
(frowning)
Hmm. You may have a point there....
Poseidon
As a representative of the Hegemony, I hereby assume I already know how to think critically.
Captain Margie
You idiot.
Poseidon
Good job, Captain Margie! Now you're thinking critically too!
Captain Margie
(groans)
*BAD PUN ALERT!! Hapy was the Egyptian god of the seasonal Nile floods
Ahoy Poseidon!
Poseidon
Ahoy!
Captain Margie
What have you been up to?
Poseidon
Nothing much, just thinking.
Captain Margie
How?
Poseidon
Huh? Don't you mean to ask: "about what?"
Captain Margie
No.
Poseidon
I don't get it.
Captain Margie
Of course you don't, Poseidon. That's because even though you think you think, you don't really think at all, at least not critically.
Poseidon
What? I can think critically, you jerk!
There!
Was that critical enough for you.
Captain Margie
Nope.
Here, let me help you.
Did you do anything important this summer?
Poseidon
(thinking)
Wow! This is hard!
I guess I see the difference now! Thanks!
(begins to swim away)
Captain Margie
You're not doing it yet!
(sighs)
Have you thought of something yet?
Poseidon
Hmm. Well, I flooded the Nile.
Captain Margie
Why did you do that?
Poseidon
It made me Hapy.*
Captain Margie
And?
Poseidon
It kept people from starving.
Captain Margie
Why would you want to do that?
Poseidon
Well, not starving to death is generally assumed to be a good thing.
Captain Margie
Aha! There it is!
Poseidon
What! What is it?
Captain Margie
You made the decision to flood the river based on a hegemonic assumption.
Poseidon
I did?
Captain Margie
Obviously. You also assumed that people need food to be happy.
Poseidon
Well...they do!
Captain Margie
Or so the hegemony would like you to believe.
Poseidon
Who is this hegemony?
Captain Margie
An elite group of very powerful individuals.
Poseidon
Hmm...Powerful...
Wait a minute! I'm the God of the Seas!
That sounds pretty powerful to me.
Captain Margie
(frowning)
Hmm. You may have a point there....
Poseidon
As a representative of the Hegemony, I hereby assume I already know how to think critically.
Captain Margie
You idiot.
Poseidon
Good job, Captain Margie! Now you're thinking critically too!
Captain Margie
(groans)
FIN
*BAD PUN ALERT!! Hapy was the Egyptian god of the seasonal Nile floods
