By Elanie, October 28, 2014
This past weekend, I had to drive down south for a funeral; and as is the custom in my extended family, we usually drive intergenerational. So during the ride, we exchange ideas, and the elders impart wisdom to the younger generation.
As we discussed and debated many subjects, we started talking about education in general and what is wrong with the U.S. educational system. I specifically mentioned some of the differences I have observed in the educational systems in other countries and made the statement that the U.S. education system doesn’t create thinkers, but followers. After pondering that idea a while, it came to me that everyone doesn’t learn how to learn discriminately.
You should never allow information to just pour into you like a sponge, but rather you should be discriminating about the information you absorb. Especially in higher education, the key to wisdom and being wise in the education system is to learn how to be discriminate in your learning. Learn how to be objective and how to decide what you accept and reject and know when more research is required before you allow information into your psyche.
One of the best days of my life so far was the time that I began to realize that over the years I have learned how to learn discriminately. I am not quite sure how or when I attained this talent, but it has ensured that I fully maintain my own point of view. I cannot be easily brainwashed because I discriminately obtain information and I am very discerning in thinking about what I hear, whether it is a fact or someone else’s point of view. There is so much hype these days. Thank goodness I have this gift!