What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking does not mean that we become critical people. Critical thinking means that we have the ability to rise above lower order thinking and critique information at a higher level. Higher-Order Thinking requires one to move beyond thinking in a dichotomy and the ability to think in a dialectic with a synthesis of thought. Lower order thinking is concrete, left, right, black and white. Higher-order thinking can look at both sides and create new ideas through synthesis. Synthesis harmonizes tension in thought. Lower order thinking creates an all-or-nothing thought process. This is a fallacy of logic and creates obstacles to problem-solving. Higher-order thinking gives us the ability to develop taxonomy in our cognition which creates a situation where we can see how things are alike and how things are different while holding this dynamic tension together.

With this in mind, can we use Higher-Order thinking to use our desires to achieve the American Dream? What is the American Dream and how do we achieve it?
How do we attain these desires by the utilization of Higher-Order thinking: a) the desire for the freedom to pursue one’s passions, b) the desire for economic security and well being, and c) the desire for hope and progress in one’s life.