Thinking
Do we think any more? More importantly, do we think
critically anymore? Can we listen to other opinions and decide if they make
sense? Higher learning is supposed to promote critical thinking and expose
young people to alternate ideas and theories. And yet we see institutions that
cancel or turn away speakers who may not adhere to the “staff answer”. In doing so, they deny people of exercising
their critical thinking about whether the speaker is telling the truth of if
their truth aligns with the listener’s value and truths. It’s no wonder that
people so readily accept the misinformation and distortions of self-proclaimed
demigods such as Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Victor Orban and other such
proclaimers. Most North American universities tend to be left leaning so
right-wing speakers are turned away. We tend to be more sympathetic to the
Jewish and Israeli cause, so we don’t want to hear from those who plead for
Palestinians. The list goes on. When are we going to start thinking critically
again?
Courage
We all see depictions of the physical courage shown by
sports players, those who make extraordinary plays, or soldiers in war or
western movies. These men and women are
extolled in every medium. They are
enshrined in Halls of Fame or with medals and honours. But what about other types of courage.
In grades seven and eight I attended a brand-new school
named after a British Field Marshall, Bernard Law Montgomery, he of World War
Two El Alamein and Northwest Europe fame. Each year I was there, he would
visit the school and give a talk to the students. His message was about moral courage. He told the story of the boy (himself?) at a
boarding school who, despite the hazing of his classmates, would get down on
his knees each night before bed and pray.
That was his example of moral courage.
And it stuck with me. I also remember my parents showing the same
courage when they were the only two to stand up to oppose a church measure agreed
to by all the rest of the congregation.
Today, I have to ask what has happened to moral courage. Why
do we meekly go along with the so-called consensus even when we disagree with
it. Why, for instance, are more people not speaking out against the outrageous
pronouncement and decision coming out the US White House? The President seems,
for example, to want to destroy the press if they question him. Where is the
moral courage to decry lies and distortions coming from politicians in almost
every democratic country? On an
individual basis why are people not willing to resist when some outspoken
person shouts you down when they tell you that your ideas or political leanings
are all wrong? Too many seem willing to just keep quiet to preserve
‘harmony’. Can we not address these
people with reasoned arguments about our leanings? I seem to be a bit cowardly in this regard
since I do my arguing in writing.
I am certainly not holding myself up as some paragon of
moral courage, but I do see where this lack can lead us; unquestioned
acceptance, lack of reasoned opposition, loss of freedom of speech or belief.
“Historically, the
claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to
avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled.”
- Michael
Crichton
“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
- George Orwell
None of us are a
paragon of virtue, but surely, we can have the moral courage to be the
conveyers of truth.
