The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune. 

No matter how brilliant you are, how brilliant you think you are, or how brilliant others may think you are, someone had to teach you everything you know. Some of these teachings you now benefit from would have been direct or intentional, while many lessons learnt would have been more subtle. Nevertheless, that concept about “tabula rasa” has some basis in fact in that from our conception, birth, and early childhood, others make indelible impressions upon us and the kind of person we eventually become. Yes, some of us can push out our chest, inflate our ego, and claim all the credit for our various wealth of knowledge and accomplishments, but I contend that we are all essentially the product of what we have been taught. Teachers, teachers... everywhere.

Instructional staff in whatever schools we may have attended could hardly be looked at as our only or even best teachers. Family members, neighbours, friends and even foes have all taught us invaluable lessons. All of these lessons taught to us over time have combined to help or harm us throughout our life’s journey. Teachers, teachers come in all guises.

Additionally, we may also add to that list of informal teachers in our life the plethora of media exposures now bombarding us at every twist and turn. Observe, if you will, the hypnotic tranches of the multitudes of young and old people all around nowadays with their smartphones, tablets and other devices totally engrossed... with those bright screens. This modern informal technological way of teaching appears more impressive and effective than any classroom instruction. Artificial intelligence, for sure, has more than one meaning!

Newscasts, editorials, commentaries, gossip, casual observations and such all undoubtedly tint our “objective” perceptions of right and wrong, with regard to specific incidents locally and internationally. We become the pupil of our observed ideas and paradigms, then later become teachers of these “gospel truths” with our ‘subjective’, enlightened views when we intentionally or unintentionally pass them on to others.

Teachers, teachers, why not take a moment or two to consider that the teachings we propagate/regurgitate are not actually our own but simply hand-me-down teachings of others. Ought not our socio-economic, cultural and conformation biases be factored in our learned/taught perspectives?

To stretch an analogy, as I am wont to do, we may consider ourselves much like duplicated rubber bands. How we stretch ourselves makes the differences in our lives. No effort on our part and we would remain unchanged. With a little tension, we may expand just a little bit. More tension applied, and our length of expansion increases proportionately. Too much tension (along with other factors) may cause some of us to snap. Teachers, teachers may influence how we stretch, but we play the most important part in any stretching/learning/teaching.

Another notion which I now harbor is that - within reason - almost anyone can learn anything. Our lessons of life, and the many teachers who teach them are everywhere all around us every day. How each of us learn what we learn will naturally lead to the outcomes we arrive at. Whether or not we are conscious of the lessons and the learning process, the teaching and teachers are always there - including our teachings to others.

On candid reflection, we can admit that the same cache of information was there for all of us in those classrooms, those many years ago. Some of us grasped more of it than others. Undoubtedly, brains and abilities were not the main variables in those scored scholastic differences. Instead, I contend that, in those bygone days, our vision; insight, and foresight made the greater differences. It seems, in retrospect, that we attended the same buffet and selected our individual take-aways based upon our personal choices. Also, based upon our collective teachers (in and out of school) up to that point, we charted the courses of our futures. One thing is certain in a critical analysis of our teachers and teachings. An open mind is the basis for learning anything. None can teach anyone who does not want to learn.

Teachers, teachers, are always teaching, but the lessons of life are optional for the learning.

MB

New Providence

September 2, 2024.