The merits of a true education are a complete departure from our basic selves. It is a veneer of polished aspects of our personalities; which are at odds with our wild inner selves. We cover up the rough edges, we fill the cracks and we tame our inner wildlings. This will enable us to depart from our pasts, our animal selves, and our disturbing nature and habits which hearken to a different age and time, when we were truly human, when we were truly disgustingly human. With our ancient habits, and our ancients desires and machinations. We have moved on, and we have learnt to hate our older selves. Despise. Change to something new. I will not comment on whether it is right or wrong, I will only comment on what I see happening. Judgement is not my or anyone else prerogative, understanding and acceptance is.
So, when my three year old daughter likes to roar and jump to share her opinion and maybe also her anger, I educate her to lower her voice. Her voice has to be lowered so that the din of public noises is not drowned out by her. I teach her to conform and to not rise above the fray. Knowing full well, that at the same time, in the same instant, I would want her to be independent and to rise above the fray on each and every occasion. But, to me, in my limited capacity of knowledge and reason, I can only ask her to not rise above the fray. I don’t know if I should let her roar, or to silence her, both paths are right, but both of them are also wrong. How does one decide?
The extent to which education’s objective is to install in us qualities and habits that are a positive addition to our societies and communities is an important thought to ponder over. Hygiene is there to ensure that we do not inadvertently put other members of society in danger by spreading disease and that we mask our odours from others when we share close quarters with them. Etiquette is there to ensure that in our violent competitions to reach the top of the mountain do not lead us to destruction and force us into martial combat on every small occasion. Empathy is there to ensure that all temporarily weak members of society are provided for until they can come into their own.
But, the question remains, should I ask my daughter to not roar, which seems to be her inbuilt, animal, wild desire at that point in time. Or should I teach her to be quieter and not to imitate animals? Should I break the wild horse, or should I set it free.
On this one occasion I broke the wild horse, the alternative was too far from the norm to allow. But, how often, and based on what should we break the wild horses and when should we let them roam free?
And, will I ever learn the answer to this question.