interpreting everything as a fear manipulation strategy comes from a result of confirmation bias, and is not critical thinking
interpreting every action on it's own, and considering all potential factors that may have led to the action, is critical thinking
while our self-proclaimed elite DO manipulate public opinion through fear and deceit, they are not the only factor in every action
islam has it's own history, separate from the West.It is not even a single calculating actor of it's own, due to schisms within islam
Clarity in observation and thought processes is a better approach to understanding a problem and then finding resolve. Critical thinking pursues extremes to extremes, based upon the judgement and murky discernments of ancient men who were near deified for pointing at the moon and hanging some labels on it.
Defining terrorism is easy once people figure out that the ones using fear to get and maintain what they want are they, themselves, In every way that they align themselves to accept or react with fear based systems of control.
No personal fears = defeated (undefined) terrorist plots
Critical thinking IS clarity in observation and thought processes
https://steemit.com/politics/@stevescoins/human-governance-and-critical-thinking-part-1
You may be thinking of "critical studies", which are just terms used to cover up a Marxist oriented interpretation of other studies, such as "critical criminology".
I sweat to g*d I have never read a "critical studies" paper in which Marx wasn't tonguebathed from head to to in the introductory paragraph
LOL, Critical studies? hell no dude, I'm a fifty year old high school drop out that doesn't give a damn who or what the marks are. Coming to u from a lifetime of experiences, going off of the etymology of the word critical... combined with 'thinking' this suggests the continuation of extremist ideologies which will not be confined or defeated through the use of more vain definitions and the pursuant legal actions that fool-low. The underlying intention of defining terrorism in legal terms is to use words as weapons, which is insane if one wants to end terrorism.
Fear profits in fears, and when invested with anger or hatred the dividends are paid in woe.
Understand your own fear and stop letting it use you, then stop others from brandishing fear without falling prey to the very thing you hunt (extremist patterns of behaviour and frightened angry people).
fear is a legitimate response to threats
fear-mongering CAN be used as a propaganda device
fear is also what terrorist organizations seek to create through mass casualty attacks and high profile murders
the whole point of critical thinking is to understand whether you are being manipulated or whether you are the target of an extremist organization; and then how to respond to that situation
both words and laws can be used as weapons, as you stated. It is best to think HOW to use these weapons effectively