In my reading recently I happened upon a phrase the author used to describe a character. He wrote, "Lowell was educated beyond his intelligence."
My father used a similar saying. His comment would have been, "Lowell has more degrees than a thermometer, but not sense enough to pound sand in a rat hole."
Why do I bring this up? Simply this: there is a vast chasm between knowledge and wisdom.
It seems to me that we are living in an age of knowledge in which learning is prized above all else. That is not entirely a bad thing, but that which we emphasize in the learning process is woefully incomplete and entirely inadequate to the building of individual character such that the society might function smoothly as an integral organism. Witness the incivility of man to fellow-man; the uncivil reactions and the mob mentality of the many who disagree with "the other side."
What we will ultimately witness is the ripping asunder of the society, chaos, anarchy, and who knows what.
Is it too late to inject an emphasis on character development into the learning process; too late to teach respect for the self and for others? I like to hope not.
2 comments:
The teaching of respect begins in the home. Unfortunately, many parents teach their children to be self-centered and to believe the world is all about them.
Vee, your finger squarely on the root of the problem.
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