A modern translation might be understanding, energy and compassion.
The changes are cosmetic, but the need is keener this millennium. We have seen the effects of trying only two of the three. The lamp of liberal learning has burnt low, except perhaps in some of the collegiate ivy leagues. Jealousy of outsiders in some societies causes the rejection of educated opinion, because the opiner is educated.
Without transmitting such goals, education is hollow. The products of education come to revere capital and control to the exclusion of society. An elected global leader said there is no such thing. Unsurprisingly, when her ministers said ‘on yer bike’ it was interpreted as ‘push off’ or worse. Public trust of institution has also plummeted over the century. Never again will the US and the UK follow their leaders proudly and trustingly into war. We are not just seeing the news from the battlefront, we are hearing the daily injustices from the mobile phones of the soldiers on both sides. And we do not like the given reasons, real motives, collateral tactics or body bags we are told to accept.
Understanding of the facts leads to understanding of motives. Energetic thinking to head the militarists off at the pass is not a common human skill. Caring about the people who would be damaged is vital to minimise their and our trauma. ‘We killed ten thousand’ is not a winner for the next election. Conservative parties, long linked to strong arm tactics to preserve security, may well follow the English Whigs into the wilderness. Their use of non-understanding is fading as the number of media-savvy carers rises, while their nastier policies have left generational scars on their own morale.
The code needs expanding, expounding by pupils and students, accepting and development. Bullying, pecking order, and the like need analysis in its light. So do all global issues and their suggested solutions.
Not least because without trust, education fails. If the teachers are not seen to be debating and developing the code their school espouses, they are hollow, and their teachings so much mumbo.
A simpler version of our little code might be called the martian test: would an alien determiner of our fate be impressed or puzzled by what we use to educate? For surely the latent niceness of every mother’s child would wish and encourage our species to pass that test.
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