The Independent Pursuit: True Learning Is About Unlearning
Posted on May 5th, 2008 by Amir Ahmad in Leveraging Technology, Understanding Knowledge |
… and Relearning.
“Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned.” - Mark Twain
Photo courtesy of WisDoc
What did you learn when you went to school? What usually happens to us when we go there?
We get placed within a restrictive learning environment, one in which we get told what, when and how to learn. If you’re lucky enough to be living in a free democratic country, then at least you grow up getting taught democratized knowledge.
Democratized knowledge is the curriculum approved by the state to be taught in public schools.
In a democracy, the resulting curriculum is much more representative of the peoples’ wishes for what constitutes “truth.” (This doesn’t mean everyone ends up happy with it of course. In some parts of the United States for example, the debate on whether to teach evolution or creationism is still raging.)
On the other hand, in non-democratic countries, “truth” is what the unelected guy sitting on the throne wishes it to be. Sometimes when it’s really bad, you can’t even call the process education anymore. Indoctrination would be a better word actually.
I know this might be starting to sound like a political article but it isn’t. It’s about the independent pursuit of knowledge as we simultaneously unlearn and relearn things along the way.
Passive Like Empty Vessels
Too often around the world, students get treated like passive recipients, something which must be changed.
Thing is, whatever we learned in school as kids isn’t necessarily “knowledge” because it isn’t necessarily “true”. Moreover, we’re not given enough freedom of thought and choice to reach our own conclusions.
Thanks to the internet, things are changing.
Self-Initiative and Independent Pursuit
The internet has opened up the gates to a world of infinite knowledge where anyone can read about anything and everything. It’s not a biased state-designed curriculum. It’s open, it’s diverse and it’s free.
Leverage it.
One should independently pursue the journey for what he or she considers to be the “truth.” Ultimately, it’s about questioning, thinking and stimulating one’s own mind.
It’s about unlearning and relearning.
“The most useful piece of learning for the uses of life is to unlearn what is untrue.” - Antisthenes
I’ve unlearned a number of things growing up. That includes my wrong perception of “others” and stuff related to religion.
What have you unlearned growing up?
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5 Responses
I had to unlearn my entire worldview since I was raised by (literally) crazy Baptists. It was a very messy procedure.
LOL!
Congrats on making it alive through the whole process :)
You are so right! I went to Art and Design School where they stifled my creativity to such an extent that it changed my career choices.
Great post Amir. I think much of what we are taught as children comes with it best intentions, but that does not mean it should be held onto when we have the ability and maturity to think for ourselves.
As a kid I moved a lot (15 schools in 2 countries) so I think I was lucky in that I did not become too indoctrinated as to there being one way for life.
What I have had to unlearn - and it’s an ongoing process - is I am not what others label me. Just because my parents gave me a role to play and an identity they thought was fitting (the academic - the smart girl - the good girl) does not mean I have to carry it on indefinitely and design my life around it. It took me many years to see I was a unique human being with many talents,and many different sides to my personality. It is not my job to please others and make them comfortable with my choices. I am not bad because I choose to do what feels right for me instead of following other people’s dreams and ambitions.
Mostly I think this has been unlearned, but some days I can still be made to feel guilty. Maybe that’s the power of parents. I just hope I manage to not impose the same stuff on my own son.
Kelly
Susan and Kelly, thanks for your comments. Thing is, identity is such a relevant and important topic because it greatly influences your world view and the goals you aspire towards.