Two by two worked well for Noah’s ark in much simpler times. Today though, thinking about things in twos, either similar or extremes, such as black and white, good vs. bad, heroes vs. villains, etc. can be simplistic.

When you use binary framing you focus on two alternatives that are usually mutually exclusive, and you can start to oversimplify complex information. Plus, your “black and white” thinking can feel good, but can be a problem for you longer term. We need to see the gray to appreciate all the nuances in today’s situation.

In this article, Why your feel-good thinking pattern may hurt you and how to break it, published by Forbes on August 23, 2021, I explain the problems with binary thinking and offer three tips on how you can break your pattern. And another option is to find someone who will listen to you and then say “Yes, and ….” which also works well to expand your thinking.