Esteem THIS!
I see where MDF Jared (firedrake_mor in my friends list) ran into a buzzsaw on an unspecified board for suggesting that an apparently young newbie witchlet in search of advice might do well to run spellcheck before asking anyone about anything.
Members of that board instantly started lighting into him, claiming he was way out of line for suggesting that her orthography was less than perfect (“speecking”, “fuchur”, “weard”, “abilitiys”, etc.), and now Jared wonders what he did wrong.
Nothing, my friend. Nothing at all. As the comments on your blog entry all attest.
But one of the commentators raises an interesting question, wondering if the pernicious practice of schools these days inculcating the cult of “self-esteem” is really to blame.
I bow to your insight, Fellow Friend of Jared! And I think it’s totally and utterly right on. Young persons today are taught that they are valuable individuals, and this is good and fine. What’s NOT fine is what they’re taught as corollary to that belief: whatever they do is right and good and valid. Even if it’s wrong and bad and invalid. And incorrect. And wrong. Did I say wrong?
“Discrimination” has become a word to be avoided at all costs. So have “judgment”, “criticism” and any number of other words along those lines. God forbid anyone should feel bad because they can’t spell or read or write. Feelings must be spared, no matter what, and, apparently, ignorance is to be preferred to knowledge. Because calling un- or undereducated people on their ignorance makes them feel bad.
As a result, it has become “elitist” to be an educated person, and especially elitist to be aware of it. Not even boastful about it. Just aware of it, and by being aware of it, by using it, making other people aware. And that’s where the trouble starts.
This preposterous policy has resulted in a cohort of little savages. Little uneducated savages. Little uneducated savages who think education is unimportant, and, preferably, something that happens to other people.
They can barely read. They can’t write to save their lives. They can’t spell. They can’t do math. They are ignorant of the Western social culture: history, literature, music that isn’t the abomination that calls itself rap.
But it doesn’t stop there, no! They have the right to get into college, just because they want it. Then they demand remedial courses once they get there, because of course they can’t do the work and they’re lost and hopeless and helpless, and the institutions of higher learning are then forced to teach them what they should have showed up already knowing, and knowing well.
Makes. Me. Crazy.
Members of that board instantly started lighting into him, claiming he was way out of line for suggesting that her orthography was less than perfect (“speecking”, “fuchur”, “weard”, “abilitiys”, etc.), and now Jared wonders what he did wrong.
Nothing, my friend. Nothing at all. As the comments on your blog entry all attest.
But one of the commentators raises an interesting question, wondering if the pernicious practice of schools these days inculcating the cult of “self-esteem” is really to blame.
I bow to your insight, Fellow Friend of Jared! And I think it’s totally and utterly right on. Young persons today are taught that they are valuable individuals, and this is good and fine. What’s NOT fine is what they’re taught as corollary to that belief: whatever they do is right and good and valid. Even if it’s wrong and bad and invalid. And incorrect. And wrong. Did I say wrong?
“Discrimination” has become a word to be avoided at all costs. So have “judgment”, “criticism” and any number of other words along those lines. God forbid anyone should feel bad because they can’t spell or read or write. Feelings must be spared, no matter what, and, apparently, ignorance is to be preferred to knowledge. Because calling un- or undereducated people on their ignorance makes them feel bad.
As a result, it has become “elitist” to be an educated person, and especially elitist to be aware of it. Not even boastful about it. Just aware of it, and by being aware of it, by using it, making other people aware. And that’s where the trouble starts.
This preposterous policy has resulted in a cohort of little savages. Little uneducated savages. Little uneducated savages who think education is unimportant, and, preferably, something that happens to other people.
They can barely read. They can’t write to save their lives. They can’t spell. They can’t do math. They are ignorant of the Western social culture: history, literature, music that isn’t the abomination that calls itself rap.
But it doesn’t stop there, no! They have the right to get into college, just because they want it. Then they demand remedial courses once they get there, because of course they can’t do the work and they’re lost and hopeless and helpless, and the institutions of higher learning are then forced to teach them what they should have showed up already knowing, and knowing well.
Makes. Me. Crazy.
posted by Patricia Kennealy Morrison | 4:42 PM
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