User talk:Dale L. Hileman/Knowing nothing
I’m still haunted by a Victorville, CA Daily Press LETTER to the EDITOR from Robert Wilkins 1-1-04 in response to the Press’ soliciting readers’ take upon the World’s problems. It was entitled Have a cure? Now’s the time to speak up in which he asks, “”If anyone has a cure for what ails us, now is the time to come front and center.” As I recall there were scant if any replies. Nevertheless, as emphasis sought for possible solutions, I submit that obviously the main problem is: We simply need to be better people...
...while the answer lies in the Schools and the Media, especially the former.
In this connection, thanks to Gretchen Losi in Study: Dropout crisis threatens safety Dec. 13, where “Those of us on the front lines fighting crime place a high priority on education,” according to Sheriff Penrod. As a start, I propose the grade-school kids get exposed to a smattering of the liberal arts before they become case-hardened teen-agers and it’s too late. The Conservative Camp would have hissy fits at the following approach because it knows these are matters best left up to the Parents. See also Parents are the first teachers Nov. 20 by Leanna Landsman and LETTER, Whatever happened to adult guidance, responsibility? by Gabriel Portillo Dec. 3. Since the wretched state of things clearly shows how unsuccessful are Mom and Dad, however, de facto it would seem to be up to the Schools.
Therefore I propose each day, one quick classroom discussion of a single subject; with no grading:
1. Monday, religion and rudimentary metaphysics; sample topics: Who was Buddha? If there’s a God, where did She come from? and Did Her Daughter’s corporeal body really go to Heaven? Does She do miracles, and if so how? Does She know exactly what’s going to happen, and if so, why would She bother having done the whole thing? Does She always punish bad folks? Why not?
Is it all right not to believe? Why is She usually called “He”? How can you talk about these things without being censorious, judgmental or reproachful, as many editorials in some newspapers?
How do you feel about Mel Gibson?
2. Tuesday, elementary psychology or philosophy; How come people do things not good for them? Who was Freud and what did he say? Did he go too far? In what ways would Plato’s Republic be better than democracy? How come folks dislike others who don’t look the same or believe the same things? Why do they all want to kill us?
How can you forgive your parents for being such klutzes? Even–some day–come to understand and tolerate, if not love, them?
Does humor have any place in politics? What are the subconscious implications of pushing organized gambling off onto the American Indians? Will it make them like us better?
Would you want Dr. Phil to be your father?? Dr. Ruth your mother?
3. Wednesday, ethics, morals, and health; If you do the right thing, won’t you like yourself better? Is it all right to swear once in a while? When?
How can you psyche yourself to take better care of your teeth? Why should you want to?
Why do folks drink? Is a little alcohol really good for your heart? What happens if you drink too much? What’s the difference between depression and anxiety? Would you recognize either one if you had it?
How can you know what’s right? When they get old, don’t bad people wish they had been better? How does today’s subject tie into yesterday’s? Is it all right to castrate pigs without anesthetic? Why do 1 out of 5 Americans think it’s ok to cheat on their income tax?
In the religion pages of your Friendly Local Fourth Estate Why don’t the Clergy explain why it’s ok to torture and eat animals, eg, pigs and lobsters? or why not eat dogs and horses? Does it hurt when they pull the chicken’s head off? The chicken that is, not the farmer.
4. Thursday, politics, economics, and the law; Why should you care who is President? Do you like the one we have now? Should legislators set their own salaries and get special health care denied the rest of the Middle Class? What does it mean to be Politically Correct? Why should you read a newspaper if high Administration Officials don’t?
Should you be allowed to do anything you want, so long as it doesn’t hurt somebody else? Why is organized gambling ok but prostitution and drugs are not?
What is a scam and how do you know one when you see it? How do you shop for the best bargains? How much should you save up? Should you trust Merrill Lynch with your savings? Or anybody, for that matter.
It is it worthwhile to sue? When is it all right to shoot somebody?
What’s the difference between right and left? Between campaign contribution and bribery? How can we save oil? Why try? Is it ok for the Government to support religious schools? Was it ok to bomb Iraq just because we thought they were dangerous but we weren’t sure? Or was that not it? How about Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Who is Rush Limbaugh, and why?
5. Friday, manners and interpersonal relationships. Does it help to do the right thing? When is it all right to lie? Swear once in a while? Keep one’s mouth shut? How do you know when to be aggressive or when to back off? Should you tiptoe through life?
Shouldn’t boys respect, take care of, and protect girls? In later life, should the gals have to take care of the boys? How do you get the opposite sex to like you better?
How do you know when a relationship isn’t satisfactory? How can you break it off?
The New Age advises you to just “be yourself.” But what if you don’t like yourself? Wouldn’t it be better to emulate somebody you like?
In other words, teach them to live. Call it reality education, and if you would like to discuss this, I am dalehileman@verizon.net. Kids are a lot more thoughtful than we imagine; and my approach would give them something to rap on besides movies and TV. However, some adults (and even a few teens) are reachable too; but how? The media in general and especially the local press could do a lot more to address the many implied concerns. First, I encourageit to directly educate us on political matters. For example, we need to be reminded from time to time how districting works so that we can be alert for stories candidates impinging our own interests–indeed, maps would help.
Lesser candidates deserve better coverage. I’m surely not the only voter who upon scanning his sample ballot, has never heard of many school-board judicial, or other non-partisan candidates. I can imagine a standard tag line: “Voters in the XXth congressional district, which includes Victorville, Adelanto, …..may have to decide upon (insert subject’s name) a potential candidate for (some office).” Those of us who care enough, could clip such pieces for future reference.
Note: Edited to remark that the Daily Press apparently taken some of my earlier LETTERs on the subject to heart (even though it didn’t use them) because just before an election it now prints an excellent special edition covering all candidates in some detail. Only thing wrong, it arrives too late for the many of us who use the absentee ballot. Editorial pages in the right-leaning Daily Press (and for the most part, Religion too) tend to be grim and angry but always sanitary and Politically Correct. To stimulate readers’ interest, editorial columns should contain a much wider range of opinion; while LETTERS of more original, innovative, offbeat, provocative, and even humorous style, should be encouraged.
No, there is not the slightest chance that any of this will come about–especially with the Neocons in power–and hence there can be no uplifting of mankind. But remember, Daily Press, you asked.
Dale Hileman 11085 Chipmunk Rd Apple Valley, CA 92308 1-760-240-1700