Critical thinking is portrayed, especially by “critical thinkers” to be a positive thing. Especially indirectly in the converse, how terrible not critical thinking is.
The application of critical thinking isn’t always positive in fact it can often be unhealthy. Remember you can’t un-ring a bell, you can’t un-know something. You may come across a truth which in direct conflict with your beliefs, or the beliefs of your peers. The revelation may cause mild to severe distress and conflict in your life, especially in your social life.
It would follow that critical thinkers should surround themselves with other critical thinkers then perhaps their communal societal mores would be less distressing by reducing marginalization or indeed they may redefine normal.
Challenging collective truth may be the hidden role of the critical thinker…who then becomes a thought leader…developing new ways of thinking and new paradigms.
It can’t be all bad!