posts >> publuis > william
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Publuis
The most basic unit in society is the family. Traditional families are defined as two parents, one male and one female and their children. This form while not the only form of family structure is the foundation on which all other societal units are built; this includes but is not limited to, religions, ethnicities, cultures and governments.
It is through the education and indoctrination of the familial unit that individuals develop over time personal affinity for given societal customs and precedents while at the same time developing distastes for others. This, I argue, is the intended order of society. Meaning, the family structure has paramount influence over the individual. Or, put another way the family is the most basic educational institution in society. Therefore, the task of the familial unit in a society is to shape the subsequent broader institutions, not the converse.
Based on this, political education and civic participation begins in the home. In American society table discussions serve as the modus operandi to communicate ideology, philosophy and religion—the determining factors of one’s political perspective. It is often over a meal or gathering that an individual is taught the ideas of his or her family.
Therefore, our political structure must support the family structure. Government needs strong families, and families need sound government. Meaning, public policies such the tax code, healthcare, infrastructure and social programs must uphold the fundamental role of the family. They should do this by creating policies that incentivize strong families. This can be done through such things as tax rebates for healthy, educated children or public planning that facilitates community such as multiuse properties and effective, affordable mass transit.
Employers must recognize the responsibility of the family as well. Government needs to create a business climate that respects the role of a parent, mother or father. In addition, provide vacation time for all workers to ensure healthy families. By doing so, not only are employees prone to be more productive, we can create families that educate their children to participate in the civic process. I am not advocating a cap on the work-week or other rigid mandates per se. What I am advocating is a shift in the climate created by political leaders to maintain families. If that results in a reduced work-week or some employee bill of rights, so be it.
Most importantly, families themselves need to retake the mantel of educators. It is not acceptable to rely on government through the public education system to parent children. While public education plays a vital role in the development of young people in society, if left alone to fill the role of parent it will surely fail. Rather, mothers and fathers must put in the time and effort to educate their children outside of public education. Where this is not possible, surrogates need to take up this responsibility; otherwise we have little hope for future generations to participate in the civic process in any meaningful fashion.
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William
So I am in my car, ‘bumpin’ to some Kanye when he drops the line “some people graduate but be still stupid”. My first thought was, “yea, l suppose so; that sounds about right.” But who am I kidding, I know it’s right. While being “a few fries short of a happy meal” was never directly applied to me, I am not exactly what you would call a renaissance man, especially when it comes to issues like politics.
Although I have my BA, I can easily feel my embarrassment rising when I watch Jay Leno do his bit “Jaywalking” and I too cannot answer rudimentary political questions. I sweat at the thought I’d be on the street and here comes that hair and it would ask me, “well, how many states are in the United States?”; then he’d laugh with that chuckle and that chin as he strokes his 20 Porche’ convertibles. I’d be the guy who kind of thinks he knows but is so petrified that he ends up in the show because he said 40 and then tried to cover it up with some mumbling about the Missouri Compromise and the Union in 1852 that I just totally come off like an idiot.
When it comes to the quality of our education, our chances to learn in life abound. There are economics lessons in loan signings and in budgeting personal finances, poly-sci in voting and rotary club bi-laws, psychology in friendships and interfamily dynamics, and the list goes on. With so many areas of life directly affecting our wellbeing, the impetus is on us to become educated well. However, I do not think the problem with me is necessarily bad education. I think the reason some people graduate and “be still stupid”, or feel stupid as I sometimes do, is because of our inability to engage in meaningful and coherent dialogue about what we think and the information we do know. It is the lack of mastery, command, and confidence that aught to come with empowering knowledge.
“It’s the cell phones! The Myspace!” The shorthand txting and funny sayings like “lol” and cyber lingo like “pwnd” that my dad commonly refers to as the break down in our generation’s communication skills. And he’s right. More and more we are learning to communicate from behind a screen and the level of conversation among peers is regressing. So let’s stretch ourselves, dust off our brains and learn to discuss some hard questions that have overwhelming impact on our present and our future.
In the forthcoming posts we will be taking on an issue, or an aspect of culture, politics, art and religion and I invite you to become engaged. Whether you do it online, or in person at an informal get-together to discuss and debate, share your opinion, agree with one or disagree with all. Become informed, and hopefully, let that be empowering enough for you to act! Sure, some people graduate and be still stupid, but I hope to not be one of them. Here I come Jay!
