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[kidnamedgoat]

I'm almost through with Barzun's The House of Intellect, in which he says a lot about the effects our national policy/philosophy on education has on the state of  intellect. What I'm thinking is this: cut-throat capitalism with only a limited and bloated welfare system leaves it to well meaning but uninformed and thus apologetically confused

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Re: ...

[kidnamedgoat]

I think this is another problem we have, one which is especially noticable in schools. We tend to equate a high opionion of oneself with arrogance, and no one wants to be perceived as arrogant: this has led to a sort of culture of self-deprication. In class, people tend to say "I'm not sure if this is right" or "I'm probably totally off track here" before they make their comment or ask their question when such prefaces are completely unnecessary. It's a class: we are there to learn, to make mistakes, to say dumb and embarassing things. If someone shoots a hole in my theory, I'm disappointed because I thought my theory was a good one, that the situation I was trying to come to terms with was a bit closer to being understandable. I'm not angry or embarassed that someone has shot me down; I don't take it personally or as a sign of my self worth. When I assert an idea without devaluing comments, it isn't because I think I'm better than everyone else or that I think it's impossible for me to be wrong on the point; it's because such comments are a waste of time and only hinder progress: no one wants to rip apart an idea put forth by someone clearly lacking confidence, but the ripping apart of ideas is how we get anywhere. This backfires if your self-assurance causes people to assume you must be right without considering the ideas themselves, but those sorts of conversations aren't going to be worth having anyway, I'd assume.