In a world marked by "extraordinary brutality and vulgarity," parents often find themselves deeply concerned about the future of their children. This concern leads to a fundamental inquiry: What is right education?. While the dictionary defines education as "to draw out," modern schooling often focuses almost entirely on helping students "memorize" and build "academic excellence" to secure a job. However, according to the sources, this narrow focus ignores the most important aspect of a human being: the psyche.
Beyond Academic Excellence Right education is not merely about "academic training," though having a brain that functions excellently in the world is necessary. Instead, it should be the cultivation of two things simultaneously: technological/academic proficiency and a psychological understanding of the meaning of existence. These two should function together "like two well-trained horses trotting along harmoniously". If we only focus on technology and neglect the psyche, we create human beings who are highly skilled but psychologically fragmented.
The Meaning of a "Good" Human Being The goal of right education is to bring about a "good human being". In this context, "good" refers to someone who is holistic, viewing humanity as a whole rather than from a narrow, personal perspective. A good human being:
- Has a deep relationship with nature and a desire not to destroy it.
- Possesses a great sense of beauty, affection, love, and compassion.
- Is "unfragmented" and not in a constant state of battle with themselves or others.
The Problem of Conditioning From a young age, children are "conditioned" and "narrowed down" by society, religion, parents, and their environment. They are taught to conform and copy, which denies them the freedom to think and act for themselves. To counter this, a parent or teacher must first realize that they are also conditioned. Rather than acting as a superior authority or a mere "example" for the child to copy, the parent should engage in a relationship of mutual respect where both explore their conditioning together.
The Role of Love Ultimately, right education can only happen where there is love and respect. If parents truly loved their children, they would work to "stop all wars" and ensure their children are not taught to kill or be killed. Right education requires a "great deal of enquiry into the psyche" and a constant observation of one's own responses and actions. From this enquiry comes an extraordinary sense of freedom, which is the root and essence of love