Hermeneutics of suspicion

Okay, kiddo! Have you ever watched a magic show and wondered how the magician makes things disappear or appear out of nowhere? Sometimes, we become suspicious and try to figure out how they do it. Similarly, when we read or study something, we sometimes become suspicious and try to figure out what the writer truly meant or why they wrote it.

Hermeneutics of suspicion is just like that. It's a big and fancy phrase that means we approach a text or an idea with suspicion, questioning whether the author is telling us the whole truth or hiding something from us. It's like playing detective and trying to uncover the real meaning or motive behind what is being said. Sometimes, authors might have hidden biases or agendas, and we need to be aware of these things so that we can make informed decisions about what we read or believe.

But, it's not always about being negative or cynical. Hermeneutics of suspicion can also help us notice things that we might have missed otherwise. It can help us gain a deeper understanding of what is being said and why. So, it's an important skill to learn as we grow up and start to read and study more complex ideas.