WRT: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/47133
This is a interesting post of Sukhamaya Bain and gets to the heart of
issues that need to be debated. Education has always been the basis
for judging whether an individual's ideas are acceptable or not. The
trouble with this tunnel-vision is that people who are educated in
one subject are rarely well rounded individuals who can speak to all
topics. Yet, for some reason, we do expect a physician to be able to
debate philosophy.
In my opinion, the top down society, where the more education one
has the more one is revered, lies at the heart of much conflict. It
is not possible for all humans to be well educated in terms of paper
qualifications. The humans needed to make the society work usually
cannot, or do not wish to, master the high academic standards
required of PhDs, MDs, lawyers and engineers etc.
My question is: who is more important to the overall running of
society? Is it the person who grows and harvests food, looks after
the water supply and takes away the garbage or the persons who
teaches an obscure subject in the university? In my own case, except
for the time I worked in a hospital, nothing I have done would be
missed in a society struggling for survival.
Far too often the person whose hard work and small wages guarantee
the smooth running of society is ignored and ridiculed in favor of
the person with education and/or money. There is something wrong with
this concept. But it is the concept upon which all societies have
been based, even our contemporary western society.
If you think you have compassion, do a little test. When you are
walking down the street, do you see the homeless, the street cleaner,
the garbage collector? Do you stop and have a chat or do you walk the
other way? Do you know the person in your university who cleans the
floor at night? Do you take it for granted that your building is
clean? Do you give thanks that your community is clean and vibrant?
Or, do you walk along in self-importance believing that because you
were fortunate enough to be born with a good IQ that it is your right
to ignore the less fortunate?
Your answer to those questions will tell you how truly compassionate
you are and how necessary you are to society? Because your work may
not be necessary for society to run smoothly but your compassion is
certainly needed.
I have far too much formal education. For too many years, I believed
that if I just took one more course, got one more degree, I would
know something. Then I stopped looking for something for my self.
That simple act enabled me to look with clear open eyes and realize
that my eyes had never before seen the light of the world.
My true understanding did not come from books; it came from engaging
with the "less fortunate". It is my considered opinion that it is
only by my looking closely at everyone I meet, in the full knowledge
that s/he is my fellow traveller, that I can be free of all the
garbage society heaps upon me.
Thanks for the post Sukhamaya Bain.
Audrey
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