1 + 1 = triangle

This entry is responding to the Youtube video of Changing Education Paradigms.

"The arts are victims of this mentality. The arts especially address the idea of aesthetic experience. And aesthetic experience is one of which your senses are operating at their peak; when you're present at the current moment; when you're resonating with the excitement with this thing that you're experiencing; when you're fully alive. Anesthetic is when you shut your senses off - and deaden yourself to what's happening. And a lot of these drugs, are that. We are getting our children through education by anaesthetising them. And I think we're doing the exact opposite. We shouldn't be putting the to sleep, we should be waking them up to what they have inside of themselves."

I believe this is very true for the arts that we actually do think beyond e.g. 1+1 can never always be 2; that there are plenty of perspectives to consider upon when a topic is discussed.

I have many friends who are in the sciences and their thinking is often very "square", that "it is just the way it is." and "I've never thought of that before." The lectures they go through in schools often reinforces them that - that the teachers do not often encourage outside thinking, and eventually they are programmed in that way - to not question or challenge ideas and solutions.

On the other hand, they often do say that they can barely stay awake in classes. Not that the classes are boring, maybe they are, but it doesn't challenge them to think beyond the perimeters of their textbook.

Those who do, often score better grades in universities and eventually becomes somebody extraordinary, do their best in their field, thinking of ways for breakthroughs and benefits their community. They are often called creative despite residing in the sciences and maths. Here, their senses are "operating at their peak."

Those who don't are, well, ordinary and dare not challenge the status quo of having things done another way - they don't realise their potential.

If only the arts and the sciences can share thoughts on how to improve the way we can always think outside the triangle - the social structure.

-potatoes-