“Those who don’t know where they’re going are sure to get there.”
— Anonymous
The American Revolution was a fight for individual rights over group interests, caste systems, and perceived social rank hierarchies. Barely two centuries ago, our American democracy was born in bar-room arguments in Philadelphia and Boston with people challenging each other’s views, priorities and philosophies. What emerged was a critical society where intellectual integrity was a social value and well tempered minds were cultivated across all domains and disciplines. Clearly times have changed. Today we have relegated our intellectual heavy lifting to others, thereby depriving ourselves of the sharp mental muscle from which our society emerged. Flabby bodies are one thing. Flabby minds are another. Have we outsourced our brains to the media, politicians, and so-called educators?
Our knowledge rich information superhighway grants us unprecedented access to information. It also allows us more ways to avoid the information we don’t like. From group-think blogs to chat rooms, we congregate mainly with those with whom we agree. Conservatives increasingly seek ONLY conservative views. Liberals seek only liberal views. And never the twain shall meet. This is an example of how information surplus fragments discourse. What was designed as an educational tool for the mentally acute, has become a crutch for the mentally challenged. Do we want to live in a police state or a critical society? What is the difference?
The extreme opposite of a critical society is a police state. Police states foster social control through indoctrination, intolerance to dissenting ideas, conformity, blind obedience, and hostility toward those deemed non-conformists. Critical societies, on the other hand, foster independent thinking as opposed to mindless, group-think. Critical societies foster healthy debate, doubt and reason, and welcome the presentation of facts from all sides. Questions and doubts are not a threat to the critical mind but rather instead, provide fuel for thought.
Nevertheless, all communication has consequences including non-verbal communication. What we don’t say – and therefore what others don’t hear – may be as consequential as what we do say. Every problem requires a good equation in order to reach a good solution. If educators, politicians, and media sources make certain viewpoints UNACCESSIBLE, such views may be rendered non-existent in the public mind and may no longer be included in the equation. When facts are omitted (or misrepresented) minds become biased and warped and downright prejudiced.
And so continues the debate over culture and education. Such terms as cultural genocide and pedagogy of the oppressed make us shudder. Yet behind the bantering may be little substance upon further research. Our nation’s founders personally experienced much of the oppression they are now accused of inflicting. And time has taught us many valuable lessons concerning the evils of slavery, the extremes of colonial oppression, etc. Nevertheless, the sins of the past should not undermine the values held by our ancestors. That would be to throw the baby out with the bath-water. Yes, the water was dirty. But what holds this nation together goes beyond mere multicultural assent to get along and tolerate one another.
Our constitution supports the highest ideal that individuals have inalienable rights that supersede the rights of special interest groups. Unfortunately we have devolved to a legislating body that kowtows to special interest groups. What is threatened today is not one group more than another. What is at risk today is the individual rights and freedoms for which our nation shed blood. (posted 11/22/08)
