BIAS, PREJUDICE AND PRESSURE

A comment from Lucana on a recent blog dealing with civic duty/obedience and my short answer to her comment forms the background for this article. The title has much to do with how the vast majority of the world create their personalised “world view”. I hesitate to use the word “brain-washed” but in reality, that is the founding point. Consider:

“Pre-school years” – in the comfort of our family (large or small) we identify habits, norms and behaviours that become the bedrock of our later years and thought processes:

“Educational years” – here, these norms and values are even further deeply embedded (along with a bit of other learning which may or may not be of significant value in later life):

“Working lives” – we take our embedded, preconceived ideas out into the wide (and often hostile) world where they are partly adapted (hopefully) to recognise new surroundings; we also attach to ourselves newer norms, thought-processes and learn modified behaviours that ensure we “obey”:

 “Post-work years” – when we carry around the ‘baggage of expectations’ deeply suspicious of why they were never fulfilled and perhaps embittered by the attitudes of others (next generation) who “don’t understand life”, carrying also a deep mistrust of “authority”.

Is it any surprise that so many individuals consider themselves living pointlessly, feeling born to obey? 

We are not born being critical of our society; there is a moment in each life when certain facts are presented to us, which cause us to bring into question all those beliefs that were strongly fixed in our consciousness. To me this means, simply, that we (thinkers) each have a huge responsibility to bring to the attention of others information they do not have, which may have the potential to make them re-think long-held views, attitudes, and ideas.

However, this always assumes people have the ability and desire to undergo such a change – and I am not at all sure the majority have either quality. I would end with a quote from the Head teacher in an American state school who realised what education should be based upon, and which he has successfully implemented:

“the way we saw it, responsibility means that each person has to

carry the ball for himself. You and you alone must make your

decisions and live with them. No one should be thinking for

you and no one should be protecting you from the consequences

of your actions. This is essential if you want to be independent,

self-directed and master of your own destiny”

Totally agree!

Until next time (independent and in control),

Peripatetic Scribe