A GOOD EDUCATION
A good education provides numerous advantages. It equips individuals with the skills to participate in civil conversation, fosters camaraderie, enhances cultural understanding, and promotes interconnectedness. Moreover, education fosters a more equitable landscape in the workplace.
While higher education may not inherently make someone “smarter” or build character in every case, it underscores the importance of holistic learning in nurturing a healthy society.
Learning takes various forms, and while talent may suffice in rare instances, a well-rounded education is typically a crucial ingredient for success.
In cultivating a civil society, fully funding education enables students to focus on learning rather than worrying about financial constraints.
Stress-free learning environments are proven to facilitate better comprehension and foster creativity and peace, contrasting with environments driven by monopolies and aggression. Education must be equally available to all people.
As custodians of our future, perhaps the solution to the chaos of our rapidly evolving world lies in establishing a foundation and safety net that prioritizes the well-being of our nervous systems.
Open discussions about mental health and well-being, rather than suppressing emotions or instilling fear, can lead to more self-regulated and socially positive and meaningful behavior.
At their best, religion and government provide protections and opportunities for all, embodying humanitarian principles. At their worst, they devolve into mechanisms of dictatorship, control, and greed. However, human beings possess the capacity for self-correction, and education could play a larger pivotal role in fostering empathy and ethical behavior.
Imagine education serving as the cornerstone for cultivating honesty and ethics, integrating values such as respect, honor, and restraint.
Practices like martial arts instill these principles through metaphors and exercises, empowering individuals to act for the social good. Think “wax on, wax off”, bowing to opponents and the practice of meditation.
As society faces numerous challenges, exacerbated by triggers such as ancestral trauma, betrayal, and resource scarcity, which fuel cultural conflicts —it is imperative to cease attacking our collective well-being and recognize ourselves as part of a human family.
Acknowledging shared values, such as love for country and community, the recognition of life's difficulties, and the importance of the rule of law, can provide a foundation for understanding each other's needs.
Developing calm instead of sedation, awareness over being triggered, and diplomacy to replace aggression lead us to navigate change more effectively.
We can foster growth better together through compassionate action.
Change unfolds gradually, rather than as a simple switch we can flick on or off. It requires time to navigate through loss and trauma, to process legal proceedings, and to develop empathy.
Twelve years of formal education may barely equip us for college, let alone for the complexities of life. Even four, eight, or more years of university education may prepare us for the fast-paced world, yet still call upon us for further integration of matters of the heart.
The collective of our ideas and imaginations resembles a powerful supercomputer.
Hence, fostering our diverse perspectives and engaging in collective dialogue becomes crucial for both societal advancement and personal growth.
Next steps? Be kind to one another. Listen deeper.
To modify our behavior, we must first understand it.
Photo by Elias Maurer on Unsplash
Richard Silvia, artist, author, activist, poet, and singer-songwriter is dedicated to inspiring global thinking and fostering positive change. As the founder of YesRising Ventures, he passionately advocates for love, possibility, and inclusiveness through various creative mediums.