THE EDUCATED UNEDUCATED: We are how we are educated

By Capt P. George Oommen, Malacca

THE past week has seen many letters on values. Samuel Yesuiah says "leave dramas and serials alone", adding "that there is no scientific proof that drama serials cause negative elements to manifest in society" (NST, May 30).

I would like to point out that there are, in fact, many studies that have proved (it might not seem conclusive to some) otherwise. Just Google it.

I can safely say that there is not a single soul, past or present, who could say that he or she is free from negative thoughts.

Sometimes humans can't help thinking what they are thinking . If we are honest with ourselves, this is absolutely true. Sometimes, these negative thoughts lead some to improper actions.

We have to ask: what is the source of our negative thoughts? Negative education or indoctrination perhaps. So what has someone allowed himself to learn?

Education to me has two facets: positive education and negative education. Education after all is an indoctrination. Therefore, you can be indoctrinated negatively or positively.

People most of the time look at education only from one facet and that is positive. I would look at someone who behaves in a socially unacceptable way as a person who has been negatively educated or indoctrinated.

Adolf Hitler negatively indoctrinated a large proportion of Germans, and Jesse Owens, in a way, proved Hitler wrong on one of his assumptions -- the one about the "superiority of a race".

You can also be educated by Lady Gaga and drama serials. And escapism might not really be escapism but fuel to an already dire situation. You might become trapped instead.

Civilised behaviour is a result of positive education and uncivilised behaviour is a result of negative education. Our minds are like a computer memory that can be drawn upon when the situation demands it.

The questions is: can we always control what we draw upon? Without spiritual education, no one can control thoughts and actions effectively. However, we can decide either to be educated positively or negatively.

We are educated on a daily basis, formally or informally. Neither guarantees civilised behaviour.

Mr Taciturn and Mr Loquacious, in Kathirasen's column "Rise of the educated uneducated" (NST, May 31) are products of different kinds of education. If they behaved the same way, they would have been educated the same way, too.

Our daily lives are a manifestation of what lies in our minds and what lies in our minds is determined by what we allow ourselves to be educated on.

Fans of Lady Gaga protesting against the cancellation of the pop star’s concert in Jakarta. Education is all about indoctrination. AP pic

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THE EDUCATED UNEDUCATED: We are how we are educated

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