Hello HenryM.
Thank you for bringing this vexed subject to the surface.
My own deliberations on this resulted from experiences as a schoolchild, when many of my ‘answers’ were deemed to be ‘wrong’, because they were thought through, rather than regurgitated as answers that someone else had previously thought of.
Anyone who has a desire to progress in the educational system needs to learn that thinking for oneself is not what is required.
Many/most of my ‘PD’-labelled clients were also people who thought ‘differently’ to that which was expected in this covertly controlling society, which often perceives difference as potentially subversive of the status quo.
It seems to me that the people who run the show have deliberately designed these social systems to indoctrinate/brainwash the population into believing what they are told.
When I designed a programme to help people to think for themselves , it was interesting that the university employed me to undertake this programme with PhD students who, it seemed,(as you say) had not been taught how to think for themselves during their so-called previous education.
When if comes to PhD level, there is an expectation that they will have already have been brainwashed enough to stay in line, and therefore can be trusted to support the status quo in whatever work they undertook in future.
It would appear that the ‘system’ requires compliant humans who will be duped into ‘buying –into’ whatever the ruling classes lay on their educational plate. Imagine how much revenue would be lost if people actually thought things through before they bought all the irrelevant stuff that the business fraternity try to sell.
I think that our modern societies actually want people to all think the same and that their thinking should be in line with what they have been taught. (by whatever devious methods have been used throughout their lives).
In so-called democracies, this monoculture is sold on the pretext that people have free-will and are not ‘dictated’ to by unscrupulous rulers.
I could go on (& on!) about how unscrupulously covert these systems are at ‘persuading’ people to get in (& stay in) line. However, none of the protestations are likely to find a sympathetic audience, as this basic ‘education’ has been going on for generations and many people perceive it as ‘normal’ or ’natural’ and therefore do not able to think about any viable alternatives.
I leave you with a rhyme which juxtaposes mono-thought and mono-culture as an alternative way of looking at these concepts.
Best wishes
Bill
MONO-THOUGHT & MONO-CULTURE.
Some people simply do not think.
Beyond one train of thought.
They cling to this and do not blink.
All else amounts to nought.
This first begins within one mind.
Within one person’s head.
But then they search to try to find.
Ways by which to spread.
One problem is, they think they’re ‘right’.
And others must be wrong.
Then they think that they should fight.
So other’s join their throng.
I’ll take the individual first.
To ask what’s going on.
Let’s analyse their best and worst.
Work out why reason’s gone.
Usually I use a coin.
To illustrate this point.
Disparate concepts can enjoin.
Make heads and tails conjoint.
When people have one point of view.
And cannot empathise.
Even though their thoughts are slewed.
They’ll try to legitimise.
They need for all to think the same.
And cannot be empathic.
In days gone by they had a name.
They were psychopathic.
Mini, minor, mono- thoughts.
Will just one way portray.
If they can find enough cohorts.
They sometimes win the day.
Then we’ll have a sub-culture.
With thoughts all much the same.
All embracing monoculture.
A shame, but who’s to blame.
Just like the ever rolling pine.
And fields of oil seed rape.
A mono-crop’s a Frankenstein.
Not easy to escape.
Everything it trys to smother
So nothing else will grow.
It has no time for any other.
Or for what they know.
They perfect the art of killing.
All that’s different.
For they’re rarely ever willing.
To be tolerant.
Once they have established laws.
And ways of doing things.
They will wage relentless wars.
Therein lay the stings.
They cannot seem to be content.
To hold their view alone.
They will not tolerate descent.
Within their mono-zone.
So all free thinkers must beware.
Of mono-minded men.
So sadly short of savoir-faire.
And lacking acumen.
Do not let them rise and rule.
And don’t let them preside.
For they will treat you like a fool.
Your will will override.
Let’s create a land where we.
Can all have equal sway.
A land where everyone is free
To choose a different way.
Let us come to recognise
That ‘free’ means more not less.
And ‘mono’ will epitomise.
Cognition in a mess.
B. WITHERS 2007
(In: Contemplation 2010)