“We naturally associate democracy with freedom of action, but freedom of action without freed capacity of thought behind it is only chaos.”

Speech on Democracy in Education in the elementary school.

John Dewey

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Well.

 

 

If there was ever a quote that captured the essence of a good education, or maybe simply, knowledge, this is it.

 

 

Couple things here.

 

 

First.

 

 

We are a country of democracy but we are also a country of knowledge and learning. While our country’s success has a foundation of “doing” (other countries always think we are always in a rush), the doing has a strong thread of quality about it because we are a country of thinkers.

 

 

Regardless of how you look at it America has the strongest education system and certainly the strongest higher education system.

 

 

Yeah yeah yeah .. I hear about all those numbers of our standardized test scores are decreasing but remember the fact that worldwide young people look to go to American colleges and universities.

They do that for a reason.

 

 

Great education.

Great thinking.

Great freedom of ideas.

 

 

Freedom of thought in our education system.

 

 

Regardless of all my griping about the lack of critical thinking skills being taught today I balance my gripes with the fact we have freedom of “thought.”

 

 

We are a country of thinkers because, well, there are a shitload of people thinking different thoughts and they all come crashing together in the process (let’s call that “positive friction”) and progress of thought  occurs.

 

Anyway.

All that is good.

 

 

Second.

 

 

The concept of thought tied to action.

 

 

I know I have seen versions of this idea but let’s say that thought without action is like a great book lying unopened.

 

 

Being curious is awesome.

 

 

And gaining knowledge makes you a better person (not just smarter).

 

 

Uhm.

 

It is all wasted if there is no action involved.

 

 

Our country is founded upon “using thought.”

We think. We do.

 

In fact. I believe you have a responsibility to use knowledge.

 

But.

That’s me.

 

 

But.

THAT is why I love this quote.education civilization

 

 

And it all begins with education (or learning).

 

 

Education is the engine that keeps civilization as we know it (not cats & dogs living together) running.

 

Smart guy this John Dewey.

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Written by Bruce