Education (re-evolution part 4)

Education is a favourite topic of mine, and one that is extremely important. I wrote before that the calendar is the root of society, but let us instead call it the car. I also saw money as the fuel of society and law as the false consciousness, but let's even change that to a more car-related allegory and say that money equals petrol (or fuel for that matter) and law your driving licence. Now in order to get that licence you'll need to go to school; a driving school. If we look at it this way it becomes quite apparent that the driving school plays a vital role and is deeply connected to the licence (law/false consciousness) - if they are not in unison they will both cancel each other out.

Now there is much to say about how the perfect educational system should be and what needs to change, but really that is not what I intend to discuss right now. I more want to discuss the role education plays in keeping these walls around us standing. Apart from the famliy, which I will deal with in due time, no other area in life so directly shapes us. It doesn't really matter if a person rebels in school or is the teachers pet - the core of all citizens are formed in the educational system... yes SYSTEM!

It is not knowledge that is important, it is the system - the curriculum. All education is, in short, about agnosis instead of gnosis... and what is knowledge? Is it truth, fact or belief?

Well both truth and fact are part of belief, so I would have to call knowledge belief. So what is truth then? I like the following definition:

"Do not believe in anything (simply) because you have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do not believe in anything because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything (simply) because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.

But after observation and analysis when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conductive to the good and benefit of one and all then accept it and live up to it."

Buddha - (Anguttara Nikaya Vol. 1, 188-193 P.T.S. Ed.)

Have you been a part of an educational system that employs this kind of thinking? If you have I am very happy for you, but sadly I think most people have not - some never even in their entire lives. More often than not people believe what they are told - and this is the most important, and sinister, thing that the educational system imparts on our minds; the idea that what is written and what is told is in fact the truth. If you see it in a book, hear it on the radio or watch it on the news it has got to be true - or at least partially true. Well, it is only if you believe it to be. Same goes with reality...

Now let's get back to the car allegory. If you want to drive your car in accordance with the law you'll have to have a driving licence, and if you want to fit in society you will have to graduate, not only that you will have to believe everything all forms of media tells you because if you don't you are showing dissent - and even in a democracy dissent is frowned upon as either cynical or whiny.

The act of Questioning is not a part of any educational system, and this is where you got to play your part. Start questioning, and it doesn't matter if you have left school because your education is endless and continues at work, at home, at seminars, on the street, in shops, in relationships etc. The is the most important word in any language is; why?

If you start using this word more often you will;

1. Get yourself in trouble (but tearing down walls is a risky business).
2. Discover that teachers, bosses, parents, partners and the like don't know everything and are mostly only reapeating lies that they have been educated into believe themselves. All part of a mass-hypnosis, or mass-indoctrination!

Question everything, even what you have just read!

Further readings:
Alternative Education
Changing Minds
No Indoctrination
Question Love with Hate

Read the other Re-evolution parts:
Calendars - part 1
Money - part 2
Law - part 3

© deviadah