End of Education

As private school students, many of us get caught up in the horror stories that circulate about the public school system ranging from outrageous claims about gang violence to the inexplicably high failure rate. However, any student that has experienced both the public and private school systems would happily say that many of these farce claims are no more than rumors, for the most part. Although the stories of gang crime and drug abuse don’t always hold true, the criticisms of the public school curriculum does hold some truth. As Neil Postman points out in his novel End of Education, the public school system of 1995 was centralized around a one sided perspective that lacked cultural diversity and favored a Western worldview. The difference between Postman’s description of the education system in 1995 and the current public school system is that modern day America has accepted a multicultural ideology.

            In End of Education, Postman voices his criticisms of the 1995 public school system which barred religious teachings in school. Postman states that religion is a necessity for schooling as, “so much of our painting, music, architecture, literature, and science are intertwined with religion. It is, therefore, quite impossible (impossible by definition) for anyone to claim to be educated who has no knowledge of the role played by religion in the formation of culture” (Postman 150). Thus, Postman is highly critical of the narrow minded education structure that in part characterized the public education system of 1995, concluding that the ignorance of religion’s roll in social conduct is a sign of an uneducated individual. However, fast forward twenty-five years to 2015 and America has seen a huge swing towards a multicultural and socially plural society which not only acknowledges the role of religion in social conduct but also teaches religion in schools from an analytical standpoint.

 Furthermore, Postman concludes that youth that are raised in a socially aware school system will become well rounded people, by “understanding the principle of diversity, is that by studying religion, our students can become acquainted with, first, the variety of ways people have offered to explain themselves and, second, the astonishing unity of their explanations” (Postman 150).  By teaching students in an environment that promotes and accepts a multicultural perspective, students learn to express their thoughts and ideas in a more productive manner thus creating a more efficient and progressive society. Overall, Postman’s hypothesis that ignorance of religion is detrimental to the education system withstands the test of time, and is exemplified by the success of a socially plural perspective in modern day America.

Works Cited

Postman, Neil. The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School. New York: Vintage, 1996. 

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Paying the Ultimate Price: Survival of the Fittest in the Congo

            Charles Darwin was both an esteemed scientist and one of the leading philosophers of his time, applying his theory of evolution and survival of the fittest to both the physical and social interactions between people. Darwin upheld “that huge numbers were destined to succumb in the struggle for existence. Those who survived to grow up-- and perpetuate the race—would therefore be those who came out best in the struggle for survival” (Gaarder 409). According to Darwin’s studies, those species with the greatest capabilities to adapt to their physical environment would be the same species that withstood the obstacles that would have otherwise obliterated their race. Furthermore, Darwin extrapolated that the same principles of physical survival could be applied to thriving within the society; people that could fit in to the social customs of a society would be accepted while those who rejected the customs would themselves be rejected.

            In the case of the Price family in The Poisonwood Bible, Darwin’s philosophy of survival of the fittest applies in both a physical and social sense. Unlike the Kilanga villagers, the Price family were accustom to the luxuries of the western world, therefore they were ill prepared for life in the Congo where running water would have been a novelty. Additionally, the Prices’ condition was worsened by Nathan’s stubbornness in upholding western ideals and beliefs. In the physical world, Nathan refused to conform to the villagers’ system of farming and as a result his garden could not sustain a substantial number of crops. It was not until Nathan adapted his garden to fit in with the Congo that his plants began to grow. Furthermore, the Price family rejected the religious beliefs of the village and as a result they felt segregated from the rest of the Congolese people. For example, Nathan’ death was due to his disregard for the Congolese peoples’ beliefs as he attempted to forcibly baptize a group of children in the river. In conclusion, Darwin’s philosophy of survival of the fittest applies to the Poisonwood Bible in not only a physical sense, but in a social sense also.

Works Cited

Gaarder, Jostein. Sophie's World. New York: Berkley Books, 1991. Print.

Do as We Say, Not as We Do: American Exceptionalism after 9/11

            Both Noah Chomsky’s article and President Bush’s speech give insight to the wide range of reactions that Americans express in regards to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centers. On one side is President Bush, who must address a fragmented America only nine days after the attacks. In his speech, Bush is careful not to say anything that may offend and the speech itself adopts an uplifting tone and invokes a sense of patriotism through imagery of both Democrats and Republicans gathering at the Capitol to sing “God Bless America (Bush 1). Furthermore, in order to win over the hearts of Americans across the nation, Bush utilizes damning diction throughout the speech which is meant to express that an attack on American soil is not taken lightly. In order to ensure his fellow Americans that they and their loved ones are safe, President Bush makes the sensationalist claim that every terrorist group of global reach will be found, stopped, and defeated” (Bush 4). Although the speech is quite vague in terms of exactly how President Bush plans to deal with the attack on the World Trade Centers, this is made understandable when considering that at the time the most important factor was settling the chaos that had erupted within the US itself.

On the opposite side of the political spectrum is the liberal professor Noam Chomsky, who voiced his opinions ten years after the September 11^th attacks. Seeing as there is such a large gap between September 11^th, 2011 and the publishing of Chomsky’s article, Chomsky is not only able to be more direct with his claims but also more critical of America’s reaction to the event. Chomsky uses 9/11 as an example of American exceptionalism; the perception that America may advise other nations to act in favor of justice and logic, but that does not mean the US should have to conform to these same rules. From Chomsky’s perspective, the death of Osama bin Laden symbolized the hypocrisy of American jurisdiction in matters that concern itself. To support his claim Chomsky points to numerous sources of evidence and analogy, one of which being “a high-ranking military officer briefed on the assault said the SEALs knew their mission was not to take him alive” (Chomsky 4). Through his article, Chomsky attempts to persuade readers in to the mindset that all attacks on human rights must be treated equally, no matter the context.

Finally, the question of whether or not America committed an act of exceptionalism must be answered. When analyzing both Bush’s speech and Chomsky’s article it is clear to see that both represent the extreme sides of an argument and therefore truth must lay somewhere in between. As pointed out by Chomsky, the US government made the death, rather than the capture, of Osama bin Laden a national priority. However, that does not mean the killing was not justified, as it is the duty of the federal government to go to any lengths necessary to ensure the safety of the people it serves. Just as Nazi Germany had posed a direct and imminent threat to the safety of millions of Europeans, Al Qaeda’s attack on the World Trade Centers made it clear that they were a threat to the American way of life. Therefore in regards to the September 11^th attacks, the US acted in a justified manner even if that meant adopting a sense of American exceptionalism.