The human race has always been like a flock of sheep, back in the 1600's we burned women at the stake because they controlled the weather now we blame CO2 because it changes the weather. Funny how despite the improvements in science we still fail to look at the facts before forming an ideology. Want Proof just look at how a bad flu season turned into a Pandemic.
I was lucky to have a few master teachers, who pushed me and challenged me at every step. In high school, college and law school. I teach my undergrads now in the same way and my Midwestern students seem to like it. I INVOLVE them in the course material (Constitutional Rights of Suspects); for example, writing or outlining class skits (acting out facts of a famous "stop and frisk" case) so they'll always remember the facts, having a couple mock trials when students role play judges, lawyers and cops. They tell me they want more of hands on learning and I listen to them and will oblige come Fall.
As a high school teacher for the past 19 years, I can argue that many of the issues Mr. Deresiewicz saw at Yale are created in K-12 schooling. I earned my Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and want to help reform our educational system. I absolutely love my students--they are not the problem, our system is turning them into sheep. In my farewell letter to my seniors I urge them to fight for their minds--you can read the letter here:
Yet somehow my wife and I managed to raise two fiercely independent decidedly non-woke women. How did we do it? Act like parents not friends. Tell your children that their life belongs to them; they should do what makes them successful in their eyes not what makes us happy. Tell them what makes you successful in the short term does not necessarily make you successful in the long term. Don’t follow other people; you are likely smarter than they are.
So much of their behavior fairly screams "father absence!" Their unquestioning sense of entitlement strongly suggests maternal upbringing that stresses unconditional love, but without the necessary other kind - father love - that's outward-focused and requires the child to take others into consideration and teaches empathy and the child's impact on his/her environment. Did that student need a home? You bet she did.
They make cute onesies for infants that read "I don't know what I want, but I want it NOW". I think this describes the meaninglessness and rebel-without-a-cause state that our youth find themselves in today. We don't need political change for this problem - we need change from the home. From parents and communities. I'm 35 and hope to have my own family one day. Let's learn from this mess and raise the next generation properly.
Growing up to be independent requires independent role models. Today, very few individuals show independence or self determination.
Granted that I grew up in rural Montana. However, my role models were strong, self-made people. My grandfather grew up speaking Yiddish at home. He worked his way through undergrad law school. His wife, my grandmother, was a Methodist minister's daughter. Their marriage shared their lack of money, but they made lots of money as a team, in Chicago. My Uncle Knute spoke Danish growing up, and had only a high school education, but he could make anything with his hands and the right tools. Role models like these are scarce now.
Education now teaches students that society, and their place in it, are both beyond their control. Schools teach that "experts" are needed to make decisions. Ordinary people are too ignorant and stupid to make their own decisions, according to "experts." Students believe in their lack of ability to influence the future. Schools are grooming kids to be sheep.
Society seems to value woke bureaucrats over daring entrepreneurs. Overregulation, which is obvious at schools, is a discouraging message for kids. Individuals in an education environment have no power. Only woke administrators have power.
Doomsday predictions for the planet are also discouraging. My 5 grandchildren of college age all say they don't want children, because global warming is going to kill the planet. IMO this is malarkey for a number of reasons, but it's advanced for political reasons by watermelons (green outside, red inside) with a lot of collateral damage. Maybe more sheep grooming is possibly an intended outcome?
The best argument I've ever read for compulsory military service. Our decline started with the end of compulsory military service 50 years ago. Irrespective of class or cultural background,.all were treated equally in basic training: like dogs. The most.valuable and formative years of my life were the 13 weeks I spent at Recruit Training Command inn1969. All my subsequent success is due to it.
The best argument for compulsory military service I've read in years. Our decline began with the end.of Selective Service. Irrespective of.class.or.cultural background, you were treated equally in basic training: as dogs. The most formative and valuable 13 weeks in my.life were spent at Recruit Training Command in 1969. After that, everything was easy.
Even children feel the need to hide their sex with the equivalent of fig leaves. There has never been a more childlike behavior than of Adam and Eve trying to hide themselves from their creator. And mankind has never frown up.
The human race has always been like a flock of sheep, back in the 1600's we burned women at the stake because they controlled the weather now we blame CO2 because it changes the weather. Funny how despite the improvements in science we still fail to look at the facts before forming an ideology. Want Proof just look at how a bad flu season turned into a Pandemic.
Never forget-Bernie Saunders has never held a job requiring physical effort or stamina
I was lucky to have a few master teachers, who pushed me and challenged me at every step. In high school, college and law school. I teach my undergrads now in the same way and my Midwestern students seem to like it. I INVOLVE them in the course material (Constitutional Rights of Suspects); for example, writing or outlining class skits (acting out facts of a famous "stop and frisk" case) so they'll always remember the facts, having a couple mock trials when students role play judges, lawyers and cops. They tell me they want more of hands on learning and I listen to them and will oblige come Fall.
"Appeals to authority, not defiance of it." Bingo.
As a high school teacher for the past 19 years, I can argue that many of the issues Mr. Deresiewicz saw at Yale are created in K-12 schooling. I earned my Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and want to help reform our educational system. I absolutely love my students--they are not the problem, our system is turning them into sheep. In my farewell letter to my seniors I urge them to fight for their minds--you can read the letter here:
https://teachtounite.substack.com/p/a-farewell-to-the-class-of-2022?s=r
Our young educated class are LARPing through life and it's so discouraging because actually being an adult is quite rewarding.
Yet somehow my wife and I managed to raise two fiercely independent decidedly non-woke women. How did we do it? Act like parents not friends. Tell your children that their life belongs to them; they should do what makes them successful in their eyes not what makes us happy. Tell them what makes you successful in the short term does not necessarily make you successful in the long term. Don’t follow other people; you are likely smarter than they are.
We love you no matter what.
Loved this article. Thank you!
And I’ve ordered a copy of The Jane Austen Education, which I very much looking forward to reading.
Thanks for putting this writer on my radar. 😄
Article needs an editor.
It's concise and to the point. Fat free.
Niel Young comes to mind. Sadly he wants us to be sheep. It’s difficult for me to listen to his music anymore.
So much of their behavior fairly screams "father absence!" Their unquestioning sense of entitlement strongly suggests maternal upbringing that stresses unconditional love, but without the necessary other kind - father love - that's outward-focused and requires the child to take others into consideration and teaches empathy and the child's impact on his/her environment. Did that student need a home? You bet she did.
They make cute onesies for infants that read "I don't know what I want, but I want it NOW". I think this describes the meaninglessness and rebel-without-a-cause state that our youth find themselves in today. We don't need political change for this problem - we need change from the home. From parents and communities. I'm 35 and hope to have my own family one day. Let's learn from this mess and raise the next generation properly.
Growing up to be independent requires independent role models. Today, very few individuals show independence or self determination.
Granted that I grew up in rural Montana. However, my role models were strong, self-made people. My grandfather grew up speaking Yiddish at home. He worked his way through undergrad law school. His wife, my grandmother, was a Methodist minister's daughter. Their marriage shared their lack of money, but they made lots of money as a team, in Chicago. My Uncle Knute spoke Danish growing up, and had only a high school education, but he could make anything with his hands and the right tools. Role models like these are scarce now.
Education now teaches students that society, and their place in it, are both beyond their control. Schools teach that "experts" are needed to make decisions. Ordinary people are too ignorant and stupid to make their own decisions, according to "experts." Students believe in their lack of ability to influence the future. Schools are grooming kids to be sheep.
Society seems to value woke bureaucrats over daring entrepreneurs. Overregulation, which is obvious at schools, is a discouraging message for kids. Individuals in an education environment have no power. Only woke administrators have power.
Doomsday predictions for the planet are also discouraging. My 5 grandchildren of college age all say they don't want children, because global warming is going to kill the planet. IMO this is malarkey for a number of reasons, but it's advanced for political reasons by watermelons (green outside, red inside) with a lot of collateral damage. Maybe more sheep grooming is possibly an intended outcome?
The best argument I've ever read for compulsory military service. Our decline started with the end of compulsory military service 50 years ago. Irrespective of class or cultural background,.all were treated equally in basic training: like dogs. The most.valuable and formative years of my life were the 13 weeks I spent at Recruit Training Command inn1969. All my subsequent success is due to it.
The best argument for compulsory military service I've read in years. Our decline began with the end.of Selective Service. Irrespective of.class.or.cultural background, you were treated equally in basic training: as dogs. The most formative and valuable 13 weeks in my.life were spent at Recruit Training Command in 1969. After that, everything was easy.
Even children feel the need to hide their sex with the equivalent of fig leaves. There has never been a more childlike behavior than of Adam and Eve trying to hide themselves from their creator. And mankind has never frown up.