Commentary
The decline in educational quality in our society today can be attributed to several factors, with three standing out prominently.
The first is the failure of teachers and educational planners to thoroughly assess the impact of new technologies on culture and student cognitive patterns.
The second is the diminishing emphasis on exemplarity and love in teaching practices, relegating them to secondary roles.
The third is the reluctance of some teachers, feeling alienated by consumerism’s individualistic ethos, to downplay merit and personal responsibility in their interactions with students.
And even more alarming, as Debord cautioned over fifty years ago, the consumerist spectacle is consuming our traditions, values, and ethical principles. It erodes the belief that there should be a correlation between the difficulty, risk, or societal significance of a job and its financial compensation, which once provided a sense of social structure.
In the midst of this disordered environment, many educators succumb to disillusionment. They may feel tempted to “liberate” students from traditional norms and the merit-based standards of achievement out of misplaced sympathy for the chaos surrounding them.
However, it is crucial to recognize that in a young person’s life, nothing is more detrimental than realizing that the adults in their lives are incapable of guiding them in standing up for personal dignity in a world that increasingly lacks tolerance for dissenting voices.
While having empathetic friends is beneficial, true resilience in life’s struggles is cultivated by observing older individuals who have navigated battles with both just and unjust authorities, developing their own philosophy and approach to existence.
When those in positions of institutional authority reduce themselves to mere companions of students, they risk hindering this essential growth process.
It is astounding and regrettable that it took over fifteen years to initiate a substantial discussion on the impact of allowing mobile phones, a highly disruptive technology, into schools. Similarly, the rush to integrate AI into educational practices lacks thorough consideration of potential negative repercussions.
For centuries, philosophers have emphasized the spiritual essence of teaching and learning processes. Yet, in a culture that prioritizes mechanical solutions over transcendental reverence, this fundamental truth has been overlooked, leading to a mechanistic view of students as processors of facts rather than miraculous beings capable of profound mental alchemy.
Consumerism, akin to the monstrous force described in LeĂłn Gieco’s anti-war anthem, tramples everything in its path. Compassion is undoubtedly necessary for young individuals confronting this relentless force, but they also require opportunities to engage in intelligent resistance against authority figures.
Rather than sheltering them from discomfort and conflicts with elders, we should empower students to engage with us in respectful discourse within educational settings. Incremental reforms rooted in liberal ideologies may enhance the student experience, but addressing the educational challenges of our rapidly evolving world demands a return to the spiritual and emotional foundations of education.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and may not align with The Epoch Times’ viewpoints. Please rewrite the following statement:
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