Curious what the HackerNews community thinks.
Another reinforcing factor is the zeitgeist that fetishizes attitudes like “getting things done” and “velocity of decision making” — where you’re essentially deliberately trying to place yourself in triage mode. Black and white thinking enables one to proceed quickly because there are no grey areas where I’ve needs to stop and think; greyness/uncertainty is seen as a cognitive tax.
The common theme underlying all these is a perceived scarcity of time (busyness). For those not used to thinking, it’s easier to be lost in action rather than lost in thought. Time spent thinking is consciously perceived (therefore conscious of wasting) compared to time spent acting.
It is interesting to ponder whether this drive to busyness (note the similarity with business) stems from the “Protestant work ethic”, but I’m out of my depth and I don’t have a definite answer ;-) (refer Weber’s classic “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism”)
It isn't, it is just that grey thinkers are all unique so don't easily unite behind a banner. Even worse, a grey thinker can often not recognize another grey thinker since their shades are so different that they look black/white to each other.