Beam me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 02/09/2009 9:05:13 PM PST by jazusamo
Letters from parents often complain of a sense of futility in trying to argue with their own children, who have been fed a steady diet of the politically correct vision of the world, from elementary school to the university.
Some ask for suggestions of particular books that might make a dent in the know-it-all attitude of some young people who have heard only one side of the story in classrooms all their lives.
That is one way of going about trying to de-program young people. There are, for example, some good books showing what is wrong with the "global warming" crusades or showing why male-female differences in income or occupations are not automatically discrimination.
Various authors have written a lot of good books that demolish what is currently believed-- and taught to students-- on a wide range of issues. Some of those books are listed as suggested readings on my website (www.tsowell.com).
Yet trying to undo the propaganda that passes for education at too many schools and colleges, one issue at a time, may not always be the best strategy. There are too many issues on which the politically correct party line is considered to be the only way to look at things.
Given the wide range of issues on which students are indoctrinated, instead of being educated, trying to undo all of that would require a whole shelf full of books-- and somehow getting the students to read them all.
Another approach might be to respond to the dogmatic certainty of some young person, perhaps your own offspring, by asking: "Have you ever read a single book on the other side of that issue?"
Chances are, after years of being "educated," even at some of the highest-priced schools and colleges, they have not.
When the inevitable answer to your question is "No," you can simply point out how illogical it is to be so certain about anything when you have heard only one side of the story-- no matter how often you have heard that one side repeated.
Would it make sense for a jury to reach a verdict after having heard only the prosecution's case, or only the defense attorney's case, but not both?
There is no need to argue the specifics of the particular issue that has come up. You can tell your overconfident young student that you will be happy to discuss that particular issue after he or she has taken the elementary step of reading something by somebody on the other side.
Elementary as it may seem that we should hear both sides of an issue before making up our minds, that is seldom what happens on politically correct issues today in our schools and colleges. The biggest argument of the left is that there is no argument-- whether the issue is global warming, "open space" laws or whatever.
Some students may even imagine that they have already heard the other side because their teachers may have given them their version of other people's arguments or motives.
But a jury would never be impressed by having the prosecution tell them what the defendant's defense is. They would want to hear the defense attorney present that case.
Yet most students who have read and heard repeatedly about the catastrophes awaiting us unless we try to stop "global warming" have never read a book, an article or even a single word by any of the hundreds of climate scientists, in countries around the world, who have expressed opposition to that view.
These students may have been shown Al Gore's movie "An Inconvenient Truth" in school, but are very unlikely to have been shown the British Channel 4 television special, "The Great Global Warming Swindle."
Even if we assume, for the sake of argument, that students are being indoctrinated with the correct conclusions on current issues, that would still be irrelevant educationally. Hearing only one side does nothing to equip students with the experience to know how to sort out opposing sides of other issues they will have to confront in the future, after they have left school and need to reach their own conclusions on the issues arising later.
Yet they are the jury that will ultimately decide the fate of this nation.
I’ve already faced it, hence the post. I agree.
ping
My students are grown now, and tell me how amazing it is that I could believe so thoroughly in them, support them through rough times. This is so easy to do, as I know they've thought their decisions through, all sides of the decision, and are giving the very best they can, and this is what I've always asked of them. They've yet to fail me in this regard. :)
I think the left has that covered. They call in social services and claim abuse. Or they pass rules and regulations to hinder home schooling.
I’m going to send this to my daughter. She is constantly battling leftist students at college. Thanks, Jazusamo...oh and you too Mr. Sowell.
My oldest daughter took a Thomas Sowell economics course last spring, from a private instructor. #1 Son was taking a Logic course from the same instructor.
“My oldest daughter took a Thomas Sowell economics course last spring, from a private instructor. #1 Son was taking a Logic course from the same instructor.”
Both courses must have been fascinating!
” . . . including the real truth about what caused the Great Depression (which Dr. Sowell wrote about just recently), . . . .”
Was that an article or a book? The very first Sowell book (at the moment I can’t remember the name) I read in 1983 had a lot to say about President Hoover and the course he was taking to bring the country out of depression 1930-32. And according to Dr. Sowell’s evidence, it was working, and it was principally the private sector, including charitable organizations, that was bringing it out. It was a slow but “natural” course. Too slow, of course, for many.
They were. The instructor was very good. He taught my daughter and another girl the economics course on-line, because it wouldn’t have been appropriate for a young man to hold a class with just two teenage girls. It was supposed to last 8 weeks, but they were all having such a good time that they went through all of “Basic Economics,” 14 chapters iirc.
And my son told me that “argument from authority” isn’t very persuasive, since he’s 8” taller than I am ;-).
“And my son told me that “argument from authority” isn’t very persuasive, since he’s 8” taller than I am ;-).”
Ha! Now you’re telling me that you’ve got swell kids. Wonderful. God bless and use them.
All eight of them are fascinating and full of potential. My youngest just turned 3 and can already read (although not Thomas Sowell, yet).
I've had my homeschoolers read some of his books and some worksheets would have been great.Ever think of marketing them ?
I’m setting my young children up with a healthy skepticism for anything that comes from “the world”.
And, we’re not exposing them to secular humanist liberal indoctrination, to the extent we can avoid it.
Homeschooling, no TV, filtering and discussing things said by liberal relatives.
You’d be amazed at the “discernment” level of a 4 yr old.
She often says - “that doesn’t sound right” when she hears libspeak.
Had some dumba$$ (on HERE) “LOL” at my assertion that 0bama, like Lincoln, would be the cause of a civil war.
Of course, I got no other counter argument besides the “textspeak”.
Someone earlier asked how a handful of homeschooled kids can have an effect when the majority of folks are indoctrinated. It doesn’t take much interaction with these folks to understand that they will be no intellectual match, no matter what their numbers, for people who can think and understand.
Armor them up,
THEN send them out to be salt and light.
Check on Dr. Sowell’s website. He might have study guides available for download.
They are certainly going to try to thwart anti-indoctrination homeschooling.
The “UN Rights of the Child” treaty is going to be a problem if they ratify and enforce it.
And, yes, we MAY have to go “live on a mountain top”. Or perhaps move to some state that is finally fed up with the the fed’s crap.
YO!
Seriously, is there a written curriculum for a Dr Sowell based econ course?
I know a bunch, especially me, that would be interested in that!
Can you provide contact info please?
No study guides there.
Seriously, folks, there is a huge need for this.
Let’s get it together. Sounds like there are a couple of people that have already taught/taken courses based on Sowell.
This is not only marketable, it is necessary!
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