After surfing the web for many months, and reading/watching much of what passes for "political debate" out there, I think I've figured something out. I've had a growing concern about the tone of these discussions, among both politicians and ordinary citizens, and I've been chalking it up to people's tension about the economy, and fear of the "other", whoever that "other" might be. However, I've come to believe it's something else.
I believe that our educational system is letting us down. For how many years now have the public schools deteriorated into child care institutions that are required to train kids to regurgitate information for specified tests...instead of actually teaching students critical thinking? When you are not taught to think critically, to analyze information and come up with reasoned opinions, your only recourse is to regurgitate...whatever thoughts or ideas or rhetoric stick in your brain. Then, when someone disagrees, the only response you have is anger and name calling and trying to draw others to your side. You haven't been taught how to think and reason out a response, you haven't been taught how to DEBATE in a respectful, reasonable way that addresses the issue at hand.
For example, if I were to say that I think that the working poor in this country deserve reasonable access to healthcare, how many people would just respond that I'm a LIBERAL in that tone of voice that insinuates one has just stepped in excrement?
I crave reasoned debate, but despair of the ability of America's citizens to have that anymore. When our leaders don't model it, and our schools don't teach it, I fear that such an idea is doomed.
I believe that our educational system is letting us down. For how many years now have the public schools deteriorated into child care institutions that are required to train kids to regurgitate information for specified tests...instead of actually teaching students critical thinking? When you are not taught to think critically, to analyze information and come up with reasoned opinions, your only recourse is to regurgitate...whatever thoughts or ideas or rhetoric stick in your brain. Then, when someone disagrees, the only response you have is anger and name calling and trying to draw others to your side. You haven't been taught how to think and reason out a response, you haven't been taught how to DEBATE in a respectful, reasonable way that addresses the issue at hand.
For example, if I were to say that I think that the working poor in this country deserve reasonable access to healthcare, how many people would just respond that I'm a LIBERAL in that tone of voice that insinuates one has just stepped in excrement?
I crave reasoned debate, but despair of the ability of America's citizens to have that anymore. When our leaders don't model it, and our schools don't teach it, I fear that such an idea is doomed.
No comments:
Post a Comment