Why I Do Not Know

How does one teach common sense? When common sense is not so common and critical thinking and reasoning skills take a back seat to tried and true practices it is easy to see how the art of thinking outside the box is slowly disintegrating. While practical life skills such as basic car repair, home economics, personal finance management and job interview skills are clearly necessary for one to become a well-rounded and functioning individual, they are not the only skills one should focus on when forming the foundation for an education or curriculum. It is interesting to note the sociological theory of the hidden curriculum here in relation to Jones' discussion. It has been observed that schools associated with lower income communities and working class families tend to be more structured and their academic goals somewhat lower than in upper-middle class neighborhoods. The emphasis seems to be more on memorization, following directions and the details of the procedures involved in certain tasks rather than the critical thinking, curiosity and application of abstract principles to solve problems which makes for a truly bright and independent thinker. As Feynman put it, they have invented a set of rules to help one reach the answers without ever having to truly understand the questions.In many instances teachers and employers place more emphasis on completing at ask according to specific instruction rather than applying one's own ideas and thoughts to the task at hand. I recall quite a few times in my educational and occupational careers when asking the question "why?" was considered to be taboo.This problem infiltrates the family structure as well; "but why mommy?"…"because I said so." This answer, whether given in a classroom, an office or a living room, demeans the asker and offers no real opportunity for the development of true understanding and critical thinking ability. We should strive to be honest in our answers and even more so, in our questions. If we can reach this agreement amongst ourselves, reaching for full awareness of what we are asking and why and be sure that we really wish to know the answer and on the other side, being willing to answer the question honestly, even if the ultimate answer is that we do not know.