The two cartoons above actually do go nicely together. In America, we are no longer required to do classical studies. After all, we are a practical people. We only need to know what is necessary to make things function. Unfortunately, there are two problems. One is that without a grounding in classical studies, we are often unable to use logical thinking in order to evaluate whether what we are told is anywhere near valid, logical, consequent, etc. We accept tautologies as though they were gospel truth. We commit classical argumentation errors of logic and do not even notice that we have done so. And, when that is pointed out to us, we simply answer by telling the other person that such is merely their personal viewpoint without regard to any possible analysis of their logicality.
The second problem is worse than that. We have sunk to such a place in our lack of logic that we see conspiracies, even when there is no possible logical connection between the event and our supposed conspiracy. So the second cartoon is quite apropos. The cartoon above shows Godzilla rampaging through a city, and the people are simply fitting the event into their preexisting conspiracy theories. Everything that happens is seen through the filter of one’s personal existing conspiracy theory. Thus, it matters little what the history of the event is. The event is further proof that one’s personal conspiracy theory is the correct interpretation of all history. One need only to read the comments attached to any news story to quickly see how the Internet trolls re-interpret the story into a tale that supports their particular theory. So, the No Child Left Behind Act is Obama’s fault, even though it was passed, and supported by, President Bush.
Meantime, President Bush blamed three previous presidents for some of his security problems. “They looked at our response after the hostage crisis in Iran, the bombings of the Marine barracks in Lebanon, the first World Trade Center attack, the killing of American soldiers in Somalia, the destruction of two U.S. embassies in Africa, and the attack on the USS Cole. They concluded that free societies lacked the courage and character to defend themselves against a determined enemy.” GW Bush. According to President George W. Bush, even President Reagan was guilty of a lack of appropriate response to the action of Islamic terrorists (if you were to read the full context of his quote).
Part of the stagnation that we see in Congress and in elections today is due to the incredible inability in our modern culture to think logically, to reach reasonable compromises, and to be willing to admit that some of our views may not be correct. Mind you, there are certain areas in which I have no doubts that my views are correct and I have no intention of compromising. Elective abortion is wrong. Trying to limit free speech in the public marketplace is wrong. [Note: that is carefully worded. In the private arena, limits are allowed. Thus a private organization may expel a member who does not agree with their beliefs.] But, there are many areas about which we agree in principle, but simply disagree in how that principle is to be applied. In those area in which there is agreement in principle, we should be able to find compromises in practice. Thus, we can agree on a free market while disagreeing, and reaching compromise on, the details on how the free market is overseen so that there is justice and fairness.
It is the failure to admit the possibility of compromise in those areas in which we agree in principle that shows most strongly our inability to think logically and to truly understand the principles that are involved. Rather than showing an understanding of the principles while also understanding the possibility of various ways to apply the principle, we confuse the principle with the application. We are unable to reach acceptable compromises because we cannot differentiate between the principle and the application. Thus, the lack of a classical education in our high schools and universities has as its result a populace (even among the college graduates) that is unable to analyze the difference between what we believe to be true and how to apply what we believe to be true.
I have no easy solution. The hard solution would be to return to the importance of a classical education, the importance of teaching basic philosophical principles, the importance of teaching analytical thinking. More than math and science education, the teaching of those principles will lead to a proper appreciation and learning of math and science. More than that, a classical education sees the importance of the arts and sports in producing a well rounded individual. I would argue further that President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act actually pushes us toward more children being left behind in comparison to those parts of the world that still remember the importance of a classical education.
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