A Good Day
Hey Folks,
Today I got to do one of my favorite things: visit and talk with vibrant, young people!
I was at Worthington Kilbourne High School with the three Political Radicalism classes. “Poli-Rad” is a semester course in which the students get to hear presentations from a wide spectrum of speakers, for and against all sorts of things relating to God and gods, gays and anti-gays, pro-choice and pro-life, etc.
As always I told the classes that they had heard speakers of opposing positions, they’d hear more, and they’d hear me; but what I advised was to LISTEN to all the speakers and not believe a word they said – including my spiel – I argued that nobody knew any more than they did about the fundamental realities of existence. They should listen with an open mind but decide for themselves, and if they can’t decide, withhold judgment until they could decide.
I argued that all “civilizations” are pyramidal as a result of their large populations – that they always had been and that they remain so today – with the small top of the pyramid benefiting disproportionately compared to the vast numbers nearer the base; and that as a result a major directive of any culture inevitably was to PRESERVE and MAINTAIN the status quo of the culture; and moreover that this directive generally was fulfilled since the small group at the top who benefited from the system also overwhelmingly controlled the resources and means necessary to insure its own preeminence.
I also suggested that every culture, ancient or modern, worked to imbue its youth with its own particular arbitrary mythology of underlying assumptions – assumptions; whether involving Zeus, Jesus, democracy, or communism; that underlie and preserve the system.
I called on the students to choose for themselves what made sense rather than to reflexively assume the “dominant paradigm,” to borrow a cliché.
I think they heard me, but life is confusing and demanding; and the voices of the Matrix are upon us round the clock. Time will tell, but if I had to bet on it, I’d put my money on the kids!!
Oh, yeah!! I also got to share a few of my songs! Can't beat that for fun!!
- Uke Man
Today I got to do one of my favorite things: visit and talk with vibrant, young people!
I was at Worthington Kilbourne High School with the three Political Radicalism classes. “Poli-Rad” is a semester course in which the students get to hear presentations from a wide spectrum of speakers, for and against all sorts of things relating to God and gods, gays and anti-gays, pro-choice and pro-life, etc.
As always I told the classes that they had heard speakers of opposing positions, they’d hear more, and they’d hear me; but what I advised was to LISTEN to all the speakers and not believe a word they said – including my spiel – I argued that nobody knew any more than they did about the fundamental realities of existence. They should listen with an open mind but decide for themselves, and if they can’t decide, withhold judgment until they could decide.
I argued that all “civilizations” are pyramidal as a result of their large populations – that they always had been and that they remain so today – with the small top of the pyramid benefiting disproportionately compared to the vast numbers nearer the base; and that as a result a major directive of any culture inevitably was to PRESERVE and MAINTAIN the status quo of the culture; and moreover that this directive generally was fulfilled since the small group at the top who benefited from the system also overwhelmingly controlled the resources and means necessary to insure its own preeminence.
I also suggested that every culture, ancient or modern, worked to imbue its youth with its own particular arbitrary mythology of underlying assumptions – assumptions; whether involving Zeus, Jesus, democracy, or communism; that underlie and preserve the system.
I called on the students to choose for themselves what made sense rather than to reflexively assume the “dominant paradigm,” to borrow a cliché.
I think they heard me, but life is confusing and demanding; and the voices of the Matrix are upon us round the clock. Time will tell, but if I had to bet on it, I’d put my money on the kids!!
Oh, yeah!! I also got to share a few of my songs! Can't beat that for fun!!
- Uke Man
1 Comments:
Hi Tom,
The students at Worthington are so fortunate to have the class that allows them to hear varying points of view from many speakers. They are soooo lucky to have you come to their classes. I know they must be astounded when they meet you and hear your presentation - and your music. Sondra
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