The
T-Shirt
Test
How a fake Darwin quote in McDonald's queue taught me to question everything I automatically accept as truth.
Something interesting happened after my last post about decision-making. I realized I have a habit of taking what I read - quotes, opinions, advice - and automatically accepting it as true. Especially if it comes from someone I think is more intelligent than me. I just go with it, like it must be right because they said it.
But here's the thing that made me laugh: I saw a quote attributed to Charles Darwin on the back of someone's T-shirt while waiting in the McDonald's queue. And my first thought was "that must be true because it's Darwin." Then it hit me - it's literally just text on a T-shirt. Anyone can print anything on a T-shirt and make it look like an official quote. It doesn't make it true, accurate, or even something Darwin actually said.
The Realization: I was accepting "truth" from a piece of fabric in McDonald's. If that's not a wake-up call about critical thinking, I don't know what is.
The Problem This Created in My Head
This connects to something I've noticed about how I make decisions (or rather, how I avoid making them). I tend to procrastinate, wait to see what happens, often get myself into a state of panic, and then do something when I'm already in trouble. By then I'm feeling guilty because I've effectively created the very situation I was trying to avoid.
What I want to do differently is pause and ask: "Is that true?"
Not Just with Quotes on T-Shirts, But with Everything
Personal Interactions:
- • Is that person actually upset with me, or am I making that up in my head?
- • Is this interpretation of what someone said actually what they meant?
- • Am I reading emotions and intentions that aren't really there?
Business Decisions:
- • Is this "fact" I'm basing my decision on actually a fact, or just someone's opinion?
- • Is this customer feedback representative, or just one person's experience?
- • Is this market trend real, or just what everyone's talking about?
Sometimes you get a feeling about something, and you have to step back and ask: Is that 100% fact? If it is, then take appropriate measures. But if it's not true - if it's assumption, interpretation, or worry about something that might not even be real - then stop investing so much mental energy in believing it.
It's Funny How One Simple Question Changes Everything
Asking "Is that true?" can change everything about how you approach information and decisions. Even when the answer is "I don't know," that's still more honest than just automatically accepting something because it seems authoritative or because someone smarter said it.
The truth is, most of the time we're operating on assumptions rather than facts. And recognizing that difference might be the key to making better decisions and worrying less about things that aren't even real.
The T-Shirt Test in Practice
Now when I encounter information, I ask myself:
- Would I believe this if it was written on a T-shirt by a stranger?
- Am I accepting this because it sounds authoritative or because it's actually true?
- What evidence do I actually have for this belief?
Applied to Business and Life
This applies to everything in business. Customer complaints that might not represent the majority. Industry "best practices" that might not work for your situation. Expert advice that might not fit your specific circumstances.
It applies to personal relationships too. That look someone gave you that you interpreted as disapproval. That comment that you took personally. That silence you filled with your own worst assumptions.
Most of our stress comes not from what's actually happening, but from what we think is happening. And most of what we think is happening is based on assumptions, not facts.
The Liberation
There's something incredibly liberating about admitting "I don't know if that's true." It frees you from the burden of having to react to every piece of information as if it's gospel.
It lets you respond from a place of choice rather than assumption. And that changes everything.
The Real Question
The real question isn't whether the Darwin quote was accurate (it wasn't). The real question is: How much of what I believe and act on is actually true versus just comfortable assumptions?
And maybe more importantly: Am I brave enough to find out?
The Bottom Line
Anyone can put anything on a T-shirt. Anyone can create an authoritative-looking quote. Anyone can sound like an expert. The question isn't whether they're right - the question is whether you're going to think for yourself.
"Is that true?" might be the most important question you never ask.
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