Renaissance education is typified by the integration of diverse knowledge with action.
Modern education is a bureaucracy perfect for creating industrial age conformists. We will limit our discussion of modern education to this paragraph, we will then try to concentrate on more positive matters. Modern education creates human parts for a social machine. The educational machine's artificial division of subjects produces specialist cogs. These machine part graduates function well only in their appropriate role. Stratified and oppressive rules define all actions in a centrally planned, one size fits all, structure.
Renaissance education mixed all of the disciplines into a total life experience. The history of sculpture is accompanied by art creation and the study of anatomy which leads to psychology, and back to art. The student defines their educational needs by their desire to answer questions. The student then follows these answers with new questions on a now higher level. Learning is an all day, all life endeavor; the joy of discovery and the satisfaction of self growth impel further research. Success is thus defined by the student in relationship to their goals.
Why should we return to healthy education? The first step is to consider where we are, in time and in process. We are at the end of the industrial age, the huge bureaucratic structures that developed in the past were based on the economy of size dwarfing the needs of the individual. Success was defined as being part of the system, supporting it as it supported you. As the information age grows the size of effective systems decreases. There is less need for formally trained human cogs, just as we are creating far more of them.
How do we create the innovators that will lead us to greater success? We don't. Innovators create themselves. All we can do is provide the tools that allow them to grow, and remove the many bureaucratic hurdles that block their path. Small business now creates the majority of new jobs, as big businesses cut their work force. Innovators and entrepreneurs will create the fast ideas that force the growth of the network society. In a Schumpeterian wave the new entrepreneurial structures will create a better life style for all even as the old bureaucracies crumble. The Internet provides ready access to innovator's tools; knowledge, new ideas, and many classic ideas that at this turning point of society are of even greater value.
There are many sources to access your own renaissance education. Our renaissance school, Bastiat Free University, is just one of many sources for materials that allow the individual to control their own education. These sources offer free or low cost learning self tailored by the individual. This is the key to your personal renaissance. Find something that ignites your passion, then research it and create based on it. Learn, but do it for yourself this time.
Challenge and interact with those that share your passion. The final piece of the renaissance education is to interact with those that share your passion. As you create, watch and learn from what others create. Talk to and exchange ideas with the world, everyone gains as everyone shares. At Bastiat Free University the final in each of our courses is to post an essay in the class forum. This is a symbolic bridge of commitment to sharing our best with the world.
Enlightened self interest is in everyone's best interest. Do what is best for you, without hurting the rights of others to do what is best for them. Learning is first a very personal endeavor to be defined by your goals and ambitions; and second a gift to all resulting from the contributions of you the individual.
“The risks and rewards for you from creative entrepreneurship are greater, and of far more value to society, then the illusions of security that enslave a human cog in a social machine.” - Allan Wallace
Allan Wallace is the Founder of Silent Partner Consulting and the Rector of both Bastiat Free University and Junior Partner Ministries. Visit Bastiat Free University at http://silentpc.org/university/ |
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