Towards a grounded intellect: Part 2

Contd. from page 17

What fails here affects the rest of society. When we see the ravages in our public-sector institutions, due mainly to a lack of maturity, the inability of the powerful to connect and make meaningful human relationships outside their circles of cronyism the roots seem to lie neglected at home.

Human peace makes all things possible and this is the first pillar we must re-establish in places of higher learning. It is the lack of balance in our education that failed to produce professionals who are also human beings. It is therefore time we listened more to voices like Goleman, Peter D’Almeida, Chapa Bandara and Blake as we try to factor in the perspectives of Prof. Worsak. Optimism tempered by realism is what I suggest. Those historically separated and unequal patterns we stand on must be discerned and acknowledged. Only then can we work through them to reach higher ground. Technology by itself cannot take us there.  That scarcity is unfounded and that emerging technology can make this world a place of abundance sounds like a promise we heard before. Even economics founded on the premise of unlimited human wants and the freedom of choice in a finite planet must now re-consider. 

Perhaps we need to review the outcomes in terms of Gross National Suffering or Happiness, and I am confident we can agree on the latter. We can also agree that aesthetics, ethics or spirituality and play indicate the direction of teaching innovation. But for any kind of taking stock or sober reflection my formula can be set out in terms of a 3S method – slowing down as an antidote to speed; silence as an antidote to multiple voices competing for attention; and simplicity as an antidote to complexity. Right now, we are racing each other to a precipice. Reduce speed now…or crash later.