Critical and free thinker

The first time I really started to realize I was a "free thinker" [(Some might use the term "conspiracy theorist" and I am all right with that too.) The mere circumstances surrounding the way this term was weaponised by the CIA in the late 60's was enough to convince me to continue researching and learning more about our past and the degree some might go to keep it from us.] and capable of drawing my own conclusions was after I read Graham Hancock's first book Finger Prints of the Gods.
I found Graham's writings on the Piri Reis Map to be fascinating. This map, showing the coastline of the east coast of the Americas and the west coast of Africa seemed to show the coastline of Queen Maud Land in Antarctica free of ice – a condition it had not been in for some 9000 years! The map was proven to be dated around 1513 AD, there was no question of its authenticity, so how did its author know how to accurately draw a coastline that had not been exposed for thousands of years? It was unexplainable and opened my eyes to the possibility that the true story of the origins of man may not be what we've all been told. Graham has gone on to write several more bestselling books and speaks regularly on some very interesting and controversial topics, his beliefs, which are supported with strong evidence suggests humans have come from a lost and forgotten civilization. A civilization that was far more advanced than any of us think.
That was when I started my journey down the rabbit hole. Now, I've always been the type to challenge authority and a bit of a trouble maker when I was young and some might say I still am. I was that guy in the class that questioned the teacher's answers and was told I was talking too much and wasting all the teachers time.
There's nothing wrong with being skeptical as long as your skepticism doesn't turn into paranoia. Just because a "conspiracy theorist" likes talking about conspiracies doesn't mean they believe all of them are true. (this might be a bad analogy) Just because a Philosopher discusses a number of different philosophical ideas doesn't mean he agrees with all of them, he's just exploring them. And no I'm not trying to put myself or conspiracy theories on the same level with philosophy or philosophers. I am just making the point that it is alright to be a critical thinker and to ask questions and seek out your own answers. Today more than ever we all would benefit greatly from being more open minded to possibilities and alternate versions of the so-called truth. Mankind is suffering a great case of amnesia and its about time we all woke dafuq up!