Should we bring higher education to the people?
The fear of ‘dumbing down’ is the immediate concern of bringing higher education to the people. If we simplify the language and make knowledge accessible for all we may be missing out on important concepts that are only understandable, or at least best understood, with complexity. What is complexity? The tendency to root out a fine line between any polar extremes seems naïve and just silly. The point where something seizes to be complex and becomes simple, or vice versa, is specific to the individual and may be different when dealing with different ideas. So, the complexity of an idea and so the correct means to lay it out simplistically, can only be determined when presenting it to one individual. Capturing a broad audience, an entire nation with the big ideas is like presenting formulaic chaos theory to all of academia. It will only be understood by some, by those who have the relevant background to comprehend it with a sense of familiarity.
It is the path in life to follow the ideas that are most at home. But those ideas most familiar can become strange and foreign in a moment. When we strafe off the forgotten and the strangers, we can live happily as long as we can share this same sense of familiarity with others. But, as will be established, we must believe in our own feelings and sentiments if we are going to function and ultimately, live happily, even if this means diving off the plank into a strange land. However, most do not have the feelings or sentiments required to dive off this plank into the struggle for knowledge.
What is the goal of life?
So, the question becomes, should we manipulate these feelings so that they engage in the pursuit through good marketing that convinces them this is what they need or through other means that influences the social landscape? Or should we simply leave them be and let them be blissful with other pursuits? I think the answer to this, like the answer to many things, comes down to what the goal is in life.
If it is to be happy, to survive, to be held of worth, or if it is something else. I must claim, in line with my sentiments, that it is to exist. I think that on some level we fear that we don’t exist, and so any action we commit to, is an attempt to proclaim our existence. An attempt to strafe off the possibility of non-existence. We shout out, ‘I am here!’ To deal with a possible objection: although many try to avoid the public eye, this they attribute to their existence, and so make the proclamation to exist in the way of being an introvert. If this is what we all try to do, then all actions are good as existence is the goal that is impossible to not act in line with.
The basis here is that what is good is determined by acting in line with or achieving a goal. So, if we take for granted that this is the goal of life (to exist), then it doesn’t matter what action we take as long as it is true to our being. As to exist, is to exist in a certain way. If this way does not articulate the essence of the self then we cannot be ourselves. Although, any action made is a proclamation of existence, it is not a proclamation of your existence unless it is in line with your feelings, sentiments or some facet of your being. So I implore you, do as you feel or you will not truly and definitively exist!
How can we act true to our being?
To get to the point, whether or not we should manipulate others toward knowledge or if we should leave them be, is a matter of how you feel about it. The reason comes after, as it is feeling that leads reason. Just like in writing this, I am rationalizing my feeling of the will to exist and I am even ascribing it to all people even though it is an individual feeling. And in turn, I rationalize the view I must take to the issue in question. We are only how we feel, and can only do as far as we feel. But I sentimentally and then rationally encourage and entitle you to your differing opinion, as you must proclaim yourself in a way that is true to you. Everything is at your discretion, so do or don’t do as you please as you cannot escape what is true to you, as any action you do is an articulation of yourself. So take head, release and recover, forget and remember exactly as you do, or change every facet of your being, as in any case, you will be you, and I will be me, and it’ll all be good. So although I have not fully answered the initial question (although I doubt anyone will ever fully answer it), I have laid down the possibility for all to provide a good answer that is true to their selves.
Erik Bloom is a College senior from Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
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