Mass
Psychology II
Continuing
from the previous post (Mass
Psychology I )we
are quoting yet another section of this extremely insightful
book; a work of art and a master piece in our opinion. The
author quite clearly illustrates the principle of which we
have spoken several times, that education as we know it, for
the most part is a waste of time. We once stated that
individuals enter these institutions sane and emerge on the
other end brain washed and on the border of insanity. They
are taught how to repeat and regurgitate matter in the same
manner a parrot is taught to repeat several dozen words. It
does this task very well, but it does so with no
understanding of what it is saying or doing; an action that
is mimicked by most market technicians today. They take
another’s work, add some nonsense and try to sell it of as
their own. What is lacking in the field of financial
analysis today is new insight and new ideas; the majority
are happy to work together re packaging the same nonsense
repeatedly. To make things look even more appealing they
start to validate each other's nonsense and thus you have a
perfect recycling machine that can take even the worst
sewage and churn out a product that actually smells
wonderful but is extremely poisonous to the mind once
ingested. As stated last week the only way to understand
others is to understand yourself and the only way to teach
others is to first learn to teach yourself. The problem
with our current world is that everyone is trying to teach
the other something of which they know almost nothing of;
all they have done is master the principles of the subject
matter through repetition and assume that in doing so they
are now masters of this subject.
In truth, however all I understand of the matters that the
gravest and hardest of human sciences is the rearing of
children. It is easy enough to beget them; but once you have
them, then the cares, troubles and anxieties begin. Their
inclinations in babyhood are so obscure, their promise so
uncertain and deceptive, it is mighty difficult to have any
solid conjecture or judgement about them. Cubs and puppies
quickly show their natural bent; but mean as they grow up,
fit themselves so readily into received customs, opinions
and laws, they soon change or at least mask their true
nature. Hence it happens that by not guessing their real
road we waste our time and pains in educating them to things
they are hardly fit for. As to this difficulty I believe
they should be set upon the best and most profitable
highways without bothering too much about the hints and
signs they give in childhood to which Plato, I think credits
undue weight.
Learning, Madame is a fine ornament and marvellous tool,
especially to persons of your rank. While I am sure that you
who have tasted of its sweets will not omit this necessary
ingredient in the education of your child, I will
nevertheless presume to tell you a crotchet of mine, which
runs contrary to the common usage. It is about all I can
offer you on this subject.
A boy of good family then who seeks in letters not a
livelihood or outer adornment but something for his personal
use to furnish and enrich his inner being, who wants to make
of himself an able rather than a learned man; for such a boy
I would have his friends select a teacher who had a well
turned rather then well filled head. We need a man with
both, but preferably with manners and understanding than
with learning. And we want him t do his work in a new way.
Teachers are forever thundering in our ears as though
pouring into a funnel; and our business is merely to repeat
what they tell us. I would have our tutor reform this
altogether. At the very outset he should put the pupil on
his own mettle. Let him taste things for himself and choose
and determine between them. Sometimes the teacher should
break a new path and sometimes the pupil. It is well to make
the boy, like a colt, trot before him so he can judge the
pace and by how much to abate his own speed. This is one of
the hardest things I know of. Only the most disciplined and
finely tempered of souls know how to slacken and stoop to
the gait of children. I walk firmer and surer uphill then
down.
Our school master should judge what his pupil has gained by
testimony of his life, not his memory. Let the boy examine
and sift everything he reads and take nothing on trust or
authority. Then Aristotle’s principles will be more
principles to him that those of Epicurus or Stoics. The
diversity of opinions should be laid before him. If his able
he will make his choice; if not he will remain in doubt. And
if he adopts the principles of Plato through his own
reasoning, they will no longer be Plato’s but his. The man
who follows another follows nothing, finds nothing, nay,
seeks nothing.
Related posts
Mass Psychology Introduction
Mass Psychology I
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