And the sad fact is that companies, governments and even households don’t like change! For all three, change equates to upheaval, to uncertainty and risk. Thus, from our earliest days in school (or even before) we are “taught” to avoid risk and uncertainty and as a result, we tend over time to be “competent” at “something”. This is SAFE!
So we go through school doing those things we are supposed to do (like learning trigonometry which we will never, ever use again) so that we can come out at the other end of the sausage machine prepared to take our place at the desk or shop-floor or wherever. And we have a job because we are seen to be “competent”. And we spend our time (30 or 40 years perhaps) being a competent animal in a zoo that doesn’t require (or want) us to THINK – we’re back to the risk factor again.
We reach a level of performance that we, our bosses and the company expect – and then we take our foot off the mental accelerator and take our brains out of gear and basically roll down the road of (working) life. And when we retire, we are SO accustomed to this level of (non)activity we continue….. SHIT, what a life…..
If you want this, good luck – I have no control over your life (nor do I want it). But if this scenario IS you and you don’t like it….AIM TO GET OUT of the rut and be incompetent in another role.
I like incompetent people – they start asking questions – like “why” and “how” or even “what if” – all those questions we shouldn’t ask and companies don’t want us to ask. Change MUST happen and the world in which we live today is moving faster and faster and thus it is our personal responsibility to fit ourselves to it in the most effective way. If your company demands “competence” it will die sooner or later.
I want to see creative destruction in the Joseph Schumpeter manner rather than the Karl Marx style – and that’s why the world, companies and even households need the incompetent – to start the questioning and thinking processes that can lead us forward.
Until next time (and pretty incompetent),
Peripatetic Scribe
This I LIKE. What you are saying, P.S. is that we should fit ourselves (and our children) for the new world rather than the same old stuff from 20 years ago. I find this very valuable and in our school in Christchurch we try very hard to fit the children (and ourselves) for the future. Life skills for the next generation are vital.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anonymous. I also believe it is important for the "educators" to keep at least one step ahead of those being "educated" and this continual stretching on both sides does lead to a better quality education. It also keeps you mentally alert!
ReplyDeleteI fully agree with you! Only often it is easier said than done!
ReplyDeleteThere is a story for you in today's Guardian:
Student faces prison for speaking out in royalist Thailand
The fate of Kanthoop, 20, who faces up to 15 years in jail for 'having opinions', highlights country's harsh pro-monarchy laws etc. etc.
I definitely agree also on the crucial importance of education, on aiming not to be "just another brick in the wall". Croatian society is also in need of deep changes.
Lucana