First Thoughts are the everyday thoughts that everyone has. Second Thoughts are the thoughts about the way you think. culture wars style of propaganda that scams people by convincing they’re part of the team doing the scamming, rather than the marks. Third Thoughts are thoughts that watch the world and think all by themselves. They’re rare, and often troublesome. Listening to them is part of witchcraft. The idea of first, second, and third thoughts comes from the novel “The Dispossessed” by Ursula K. Le Guin. In the novel, the character Shevek describes these different levels of thinking as follows: First thoughts are the everyday thoughts that occur automatically and often unconsciously. They are the immediate responses to the stimuli around us, and they tend to follow well-established patterns. Second thoughts are the thoughts that reflect on our first thoughts. They involve self-awareness and introspection, as we question our assumptions, biases, and beliefs. Second thoughts allow us to challenge and expand our understanding of ourselves and the world. Third thoughts are the deepest and most transformative level of thinking. They involve a kind of detachment from our personal biases and cultural conditioning, and a willingness to question everything we think we know. Third thoughts are rare and difficult to achieve, as they require us to transcend our ego and see the world from a truly objective perspective. It’s worth noting that the language used in the quote you provided – “culture wars style of propaganda that scams people by convincing they’re part of the team doing the scamming, rather than the marks” – doesn’t seem to be directly related to the concept of first, second, and third thoughts. However, it’s possible that the author of that quote was using these terms in a metaphorical sense to describe different levels of critical thinking in the context of societal manipulation and propaganda. First thoughts are the automatic and often unconscious thoughts that we have in response to the world around us. These thoughts are shaped by our past experiences, cultural background, and personal biases, and can be influenced by external factors such as propaganda and manipulation. Second thoughts, on the other hand, involve self-reflection and critical thinking. They allow us to question our assumptions and biases, and to develop a more nuanced and thoughtful understanding of the world. In the context of the quote you provided, the reference to “culture wars style of propaganda that scams people” suggests that second thoughts may be particularly important in resisting manipulation and seeing through attempts to manipulate our beliefs and actions. Third thoughts, as described in the quote, are even more rare and challenging. They involve a kind of detachment from our personal biases and cultural conditioning, allowing us to see the world from a truly objective perspective. This kind of thinking is often associated with mysticism or spirituality, as it involves a willingness to question the very foundations of our beliefs and identities. The reference to “witchcraft” in the quote may be a metaphorical way of describing the resistance and subversion of established power structures and ways of thinking. Listening to one’s third thoughts may involve a willingness to challenge the dominant narrative and embrace alternative perspectives, which can be seen as a form of rebellion against established norms and beliefs.