Sunday, January 11, 2009

Coming

I have the seeds of like 5 posts in my head right now, but am waiting still for them to develop a bit.

For tonight: In my perfect world, when church leaders spoke on the value of education, they would emphasize less marketability and more the inherent value of learning. The way that knowledge begets more knowledge. The way that knowledge, at its humblest best, begets sympathy and grace and the inquisitive open-mindedness that characterizes so many great prophets/leaders.

I know that we're warned of the dangers of being learned (thinking that we're wise), but am I wrong to foster this hope?

4 comments:

Makayla Steiner said...

I think it's simpler for them to do that sort of speaking when the economy isn't ready to crash to the ground. Because it's a heck of a lot easier to be graceful, sympathetic, and open-minded when you have enough money to buy food and have a roof over your head. I think that's part of the issue at the moment. I was pleased, however, that he talked about the importance of learning to think over the importance of how many degrees you have. Maybe that's a start?

In my perfect world, when church leaders talk about faith and doubt they will find a way to do so that makes sense to me. :) I know there is a difference between "having questions" and "having doubts" but it seems that an awful lot of very faithful people have experienced very doubtful moments, and I often hear people talk about how without honest doubt it is hard to develop deep faith. Anyway, that confuses me. As if avoiding doubt and wearing a sort of false shroud of faith is going to help... hm.

annie (the annilygreen one) said...

i like to think that their emphasis on marketability implies that they value the deeper learning and beauty in life that you can focus on when you have enough money to not be worrying about marketability.

ego non said...

I would also like less talk (particularly in YW) about how women should get as much education as possible "in case their husband dies."

Arg.

Cabeza said...

I think that we do get the inherent value of education part of it sometimes, too. "The glory of God is intelligence," and all that. I think they've driven that point home too? Hrm. Now I'm going to have to look it all up on LDS.org to see for sure... But I'm hopeful.

And the marketability thing, I think, goes hand-in-hand with the continual counsel to stay out of debt. It's a matter of preparedness, which we're totally all about, right? But yeah, I do see your point. It would be nice to hear more about education as something with intrinsic value, not solely something pragmatic.