Educational Foundations

How far have we wandered from real education?

I have just spent a few days with a young relative. She has a lot of opinions, all of which have been given her by teachers. She said, "we should have peace!" but she had not thought about how to acquire peace in a world where people want to control or even kill others. She wanted to protect the environment, a laudable goal, but her means were all short term positive, long term destructive - "save a tree - use plastic."

No one had explained the choices; paper is a renewable resource - plastic is petroleum based. Which do you think makes the best long term sense? Did she want to read up on the subject, get several views, and develop her own opinion? No - she already has an opinion, already provided to her with a nice sound bite, it needs no thought.

The foundation of a sound education is simple.

• learn to read

• learn to research

• challenge what you are taught and develop your own viewpoint

If you can read, and read enough to discover the pleasures of reading, then you can uncover any knowledge you desire, on any subject. "The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them." - Mark Twain

I provided my young relative with a couple of sound bites to consider

• Don't automatically believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see.

• Give advice to fools and they will hate you, give advice to the wise and they will thank you.
  

Education is a do it yourself endeavor. You need to be self educated - especially if you go to school. Many great people of the past were self-educated, most great achievers of the future will be.

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