It's probably just one of those easy-peasy biases, but I think of the Jews and the Chinese as cultures that vaunt the importance of intellectual learning. It is joked that Jewish parents are dying to have offspring become doctors and lawyers and other highly-educated and wealthy citizens. Newspapers in China, as I understand it, carry stories of local children who have achieved academic prowess while stories of athletic achievement are relegated to lesser status. Here in the U.S., there is no escaping the wins and losses on the football field or baseball diamond.
And so it was somehow inspiring to see that in Hong Kong, thousands of parents turned out to protest the planned introduction of patriotism training in schools.
"The communist party is a super power, they will try to inject some ideas that will affect what we have believed about freedom and human rights," one protester said.
"They're not telling everything to the children, especially the modern history."
It is hard not to wistfully wish that similar thousands might turn out in my own country ... as for example when Christian fundamentalists insist on "creationism" training in schools. But even beyond that, to protest the lowest-common-denominator axiom that can dominate the academic scene. Why not the highest potential, the highest standards? "Good joooooob!" is hardly a yardstick for anything resembling academic excellence. And football and baseball scores are hardly a stand-in.
OK ... so it's just wishful thinking.
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I used to sit out at sports, yes in Chinese families academic achievement has been emphasised. But when I see the success and wealth of sportspersons, entrepreuners etc. I can't help but think how silly the academic-conservative-traditional route might also be.
ReplyDeleteYes, academia can be every bit the self-congratulating, self-anointing, preening and inflexible dimwit that religious fanatics or wealthy athletes or entrepreneurs can be. A religion of the intellect provides much to fear.
ReplyDeleteBut wealth seems a poor life yardstick without a grounding of some sort. Attila the Hun was a successful and wealthy man. And I have yet to see a fine athlete or a holy roller create penicillin or a Model A Ford or an Apple computer.
Education is not about what we do know. It's about what we don't. And if a rich life is measured in wealth or acclaim, we are all headed to the poor house... which, as I look around, we seem to be headed towards anyway.