My husband's conversation with Lover by Blood last night about education reminded me of this great quote by Chesterton first printed in "Education by Fairy Tales" in the December 2, 1905 edition of The Illustrated London News. Here he speaks to the purpose of education:
How strange it is, then, that we should so constantly think of education as having something to do with such things as reading and writing! Why, real education consists in having nothing to do with such things as reading and writing. It consists, at the least, of being independent of them...the only object of education it to make us ignore mere schemes of education.
Without education we are in a horrible and deadly danger of taking educated people seriously. The latest fads of culture, the latest sophistries of anarchism will carry us away if we are uneducated: we shall not know how very old are all the new ideas (Ecclesiastes, anyone...?).
The uneducated man will always care too much for complications, novelties, the fashion, the latest thing. The uneducated man will always be an intellectual dandy. Education demands us to know, as Arnold said, all the best literatures, all the best arts, all the best national philosophies. Education commands us to know them all that we may do without them all.
I know the last line is a paradox - but Chesterton reveled in them, and so do I. It is, and always will be, my encouragement to EVERYONE, even those who hate school, to attend college. I know there are exceptions to this. There are also bad reasons to attend college: I want to earn more money, become a "real person," get a good job, be "educated," there is nothing better to do, or I need a mate.
No, I encourage education because something happens within the collegiate arena that refines your mind - you must buffet your senses to measure things of the past and present against Scripture - you meet people you don't agree with - you meet people who are hard to love - you are hated for what you believe (even at Christian schools!) - you must battle through the muck of the world much like a runner attaches weights to their shoes in practice. It grounds your character, it teaches discipline, it helps you grow up, it shows areas of strength and weakness, it equips you to be a better spouse and parent (I think). But most importantly and paradoxically, education shows you how foolish education is.
6 comments:
On paradoxes, you have my acquiescence. On education being more than reading and writing, I give a hearty amen. But encouraging EVERYONE (your emphasis) to go to college to realize that education isn't the answer, I wonder. More importantly, do you think Solomon would concur?
SKH - I suppose Solomon wouldn't concur - but would he encourage everyone to play sports or musical instruments, which we say is essential to young men and women growing up and gaining "valuable life experience"? Must we play sports to find there is no ultimate joy in winning, or play an instrument to find it's vanity? There are always exceptions, as I also said -
Yet I think he would, in light of current society, agree that college for most people is a necessary part of toil - just as being an apprentice would be an essential part then, and he would encourage us to enjoy the process.
Ultimately, It would be easier to pooh-pooh education in light of being gifted with the greatest wisdom ever :).
I suppose I want everyone to attend college for my own job security, as well :)
I would like to "pooh-pooh" more things. Maybe that is step two after ETPing.
I personally cannot wait to go to college! I'm going to WSU! Boo-yah baby!
Reira. This is a very encouraging post. I've never thought about the topic before so it was very enlightening. tanks.
Eccl. does say it is all vanity and a chasing after the wind but when we let the wind(Holy Spirit) 'educate' us...
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