Critical Thinking in Dystopia

Note: this was written on a discussion board in response to the following comment:

"Public education is NOT the foundation of society, because it is incompetant, and is detrimental to the future generations of this country, because of its lack of standards. Private education is much more efficient, and it is proven that private schools, which are based on the laissez-faire system of economics, provide a better standard of education in which children gain more oppurtunities from." (C. LeBlanc; "1984 And Other Dystopian Fiction," Facebook Message Board; 14 March 2007)

The incompetance of public education, at least in America, cannot be disputed by this point. The reasons for it can be found everywhere. Whether or not private schooling can correct this problem is up to parents, teachers, and students to decide for themselves, in either system. What I'd like to know is this: Can kids be taught, now, to think critically enough to avoid the pitfalls of pervasive DoubleSpeak in America? Are kids being taught to think critically, or are they being taught only to become active participants in brand "America?"

Think about all the advertising, all the political rhetoric, all of the media outlets, all of the information on the internet, all of the misinformation and disinformation pumped out to confuse (y)our "enemies." Is critical thinking being taught to kids?

If so, what happens when kids ask questions that can't/won't be answered?

"Lastly, from my experience at public school in America, students are not being taught to think critically. Public schools are too worried about how their test scores rank next to other public schools, and not worried about getting the students the best possible education. They are too self centered in their own rankings, as they often determine their funding and enrollment. This is primarily the main reason why I switched to private school, as they do not have mandatory state testing, and so are more focused on teaching us to think critically, as that is what will give us the most oppurtunity and will make a difference in the future." (C. LeBlanc; ibid; 22 April 2007)

Standardization is used in Canada only as a check and balance against systematic failure. A temperature check, if you will. Adjustments are made to the education system to determine its competency. However, tests are not annual, nor do they necessarily determine funding for, or enrollment in, any particular school. We are not necessarily forced to attend any one school, but, if you want to go to any other school besides the one to which your community/region/district/neighbourhood is assigned, you're on your own.

Critical thinking skills, as Aaron stated, are not really "taught." They are ingrained in us by our society. This is partially because of a great diversity of culture -- a great diversity of ideas and practices and foods and arts and identities -- in our nation.

Canada is, probably (I'm about 90% certain on this one), the most multicultural nation on Earth. We certainly have the single most culturally diverse city on Earth, Toronto, shaming cities like New York and London because of the amount of cultural integration there is. We were taught, as Canadian kids, that Canada is a cultural "tossed salad." You can see all of the different cultures expressed in Canada even though they are all mixed in to this one nation. One's culture is not destroyed and not covered up by in being Canadian.

On the other hand, and as Bush has recently stated with respect to American immigration policies, America is a "cultural melting pot." Ostensibly, this means that all cultures contribute to being American. But, and this is a BIG BUT, the prevailing aspects of "American culture"-- whatever that is -- always supersedes any other culture. What this means in terms of ideas and practices and foods and arts and identities is pretty clear to me; and, what I see, as close English-speaking neighbouring nation has changed recently, a LOT.

We can discuss what American culture is elsewhere -- like on another board (that'll I'll start in a couple of minutes). The consequence of America's "melting pot" is that, as a society, denies critical thinking and promotes acceptance of the status quo. Therefore, state mandated tests. Therefore, a focus on economy. Therefore, Americans are expected to fall in line. America denies difference or dissent or discussion. Those who think critically, they're troublemakers -- D-students.