Education Reform

For Aristotle, the purpose of Education is to cultivate good citizenship. If such a notion seems anachronistic today, it may only be because the de facto character of being a 'good American' is not usually made explicitly honest. A telling familiar expression on the topic is 'a productive member of society', which is a clue that 'good citizenship' is defined in Economic terms, which, in turn, sheds light on the real role of Education in this society. For most, Education is a means to a career, and, for most of those who are slow to learn that, the first educational-loan repayment installment is usually an effective remedial lesson. What the U. S. Education System, both lower and higher, impresses on a student, without having to make it explicit, and, therefore, that much more effectively so, is the ethos of Economic 'Individualism', namely the Principle of Economic Self-Interest. Now, as has been previously discussed, such 'Individualism' does not express the literal meaning of the term, 'undivided', but expresses what would be more accurately characterized as 'Reactive Particularism', namely, a definition of what something is strictly in terms of a sort that it is not, e. g. being 'not part of the crowd'. And, as has been previously discussed, Reactive Particularity is an under-Evolved form of true Individuality, an adolescent version of an adult. It is the latter, becoming an Individual, and an Evolving Individual, that is the purpose of Evolvemental Education. But insofar as Education is a function of the prevailing ethos of 'good citizenship', Education reform is futile without a reform of the latter. In other words, until U. S. society Evolves by e. g. making voting mandatory, thereby reforming the ethos of Economic Self-Interest, Education, regardless of what is substantively taught in a classroom, will remain an investment in a career.