The Importance Of Being Well Rounded By Martha Nussbaum

It became clear that in order to form a sound, functional democracy, education was most essential. Every citizen, although at the time only males could be citizens, needed to have some form of education. What was it that the citizen was to learn while in school? It became clear that education itself consisted of literacy, knowledge, research and the understanding of the Bill of Rights; those are what would make democracy succeed (Barber 416). Education as it was understood not only consisted of the basics, but also consisted of the government and rights. The importance of knowledge of government was not underestimated. He described the tuning point in education as the industrial revolution. Barber says “We have watch this commercialization and privatization, a distortion of the education mission and its content, going to the heart of our schools themselves.” (417). He is arguing that devices and television programs have become diluted with advertisements and that, with programs like Channel One, they have begun to affect education in schools. Tannen, on the other hand, argues that education and its present forms gained traction with the Greeks and continued through the middle ages. She tells how young men left home to attend institutions of higher learning. Through their experiences she says, “students at these institutions were trained not to discover the truth but to argue either side of

An American philosopher by the name of Martha Nussbaum argued in regards to how the world’s economic development cannot produce democracy. Being an author of over twenty books in topics relating to educational reform as well as social policy, one of work she had produced, Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities explains her theories in why this is not possible. Nussbaum believes today’s educational system focuses too much on professional training rather than the current political issues. [She states, “nations all over the world will soon be producing generations of useful machines, rather than complete citizens who can think for themselves, criticize tradition, and understand

In the 1997 article, “On The Uses of a Liberal Education: As a Weapon In the Hands of the Restless Poor,” published by Harper’s Magazine, the social critic Earl Shorris described how political power could be achieved by a rather non-vocational educational discipline, the humanities. He emphasizes on how the knowledge of a liberal Education can be used as a form of weapon within the lives for the poor.

In the year 2001, the United States government passed and established a law called the No Child Left Behind Act. This law created a set of standards for public schools to follow to prepare their students for college. For that to occur, schools must have their students to meet the minimum testing score in Math and Reading. If students do not reach the minimum requirement, that school would not receive federal funding. Diane Ravitch was an original supporter of this law but later changed her mind after realizing that schools became more focused in basic skills like Math and Reading and started to ignore other subjects that were deemed irrelevant since these subjects would not help a school recieve federal funding. In her essay, The Essentials of a Good Education, Diane Ravitch uses effective reasoning and pathos to persuade her audience that there is more to education than just the quality of test scores and that incorporating other subjects can be crucial to a student’s participation in society.

“Essentials of a Good Education” is an article by Diane Ravitch regarding the No Child Left Behind legislation and its effect on public schools in America. According to her, since that legislation was put into place, schools have cut funding to subjects that don’t get tested. This has taken some of the most ambitious students in the schools in poorer communities and put them at the same level as the students that don’t care about school and don’t try. That keeps the ambitious and advanced students from reaching their full potential in school. Although Ravitch makes good points about her opinion, she doesn’t consider any opposing opinion and she cites little to no sources for her information.

Advanced technology and forms of communication have changed the way we look at our nation. The current political climate and the cultural movement that is happening in our nation is going to go down in history as a revolution. A revolution where news headlines are instantaneously on our phone screens, and thanks to our advanced technology, a whole world of information is a few clicks away. However, despite these advancements in technology, the cultural change in America is often slowed down because there is a general lack of education. In America, education is the one, if not the biggest barriers that economically and institutionally suppress an overwhelming amount of the nation’s adults. Majority of adults in America do not have basic reading and writing skills yet education is still not a priority in America. There is a crucial need for education in America, now more than ever. In my opinion, the only reason for the current political climate in America is the lack of education that brings basic awareness. The solution to what we are witnessing as a nation is an education that makes individuals aware of the reality of our circumstances and allows them to see a perspective from multiple points of views. In this paper, I will present my argument on why education should be made a priority in America.

In many places throughout the world there are rigid top-down cultures and theories on education. These cultures have been seen in World War II Germany, in literature, and in education. It has been shown throughout history that these cultures can and will cause many problems to fester as a result. These issues include the manufacturing of sheep-like masses that simply follow what they are told and taught, the culture losing its ability to distinguish between what is morally right and wrong, and the forced masking of emotions and true feelings. The only way to prevent a culture from simply manufacturing sheep-like masses is by encouraging people to not be afraid to stand out in a crowd and allowing, and even embracing, free thinking.

Students are not allowed to make their own decisions. In the article, “Constant Frustration and Occasional Violence: The Legacy of American High School”, Alfie Kohn asks, “How logical is it to expect that teenagers who have been coerced into following directions will develop into responsible decision-makers” (3)? The ability to make decisions is part of the process amid alternative possibilities to make a choice, in terms of action or belief. Students in the American educational system, cannot make their own decisions because they are not given choices. Their opinions are not asked, therefore they cannot express themselves about what they think, instead the only choice given is to follow instructions. Kohn adds, “What could be worse, for kids who

Education is meant to broaden the minds of incoming generations to the diverse cultures and aspects of the world. While its purpose is meant to open up horizons, it has also held up the task of oppressing opposing thoughts and judgments. Author James Baldwin exposes this truth in his article, “A Talk to Teachers,” as he chastises the education system’s contradicting actions inasmuch as the support of an all-encompassing education while scorning unconventional thinking. Baldwin’s purpose to confront the antithetical activity to hopefully change the system’s ways is attempted by persuading teachers who “deal with the minds and hearts of young people” that a paradox of education occurs when students develop a conscience--they become “at war” with society--is valid in that education should allow development for individual thoughts and varied opinions to challenge for the reconstruction of society’s oppressive nature.

An American Education has drastically changed over time, and it is widely known that things have changed. Students in their generation and ones prior are acutely aware and morally affected about subjects regarding

It may come as no surprise to some that a quality education has the power to provide, for those who seek it, the opportunity of personal and professional transformation. It can be said that a society which encourages higher education is more likely to yield a population of individuals who are civic minded and purposeful as opposed to a society which does not. In an article entitled “What Can College Mean? – Lessons from the Bard Prison Institute, author Ellen Condiffe Lagemann supports the importance of a liberal arts education but also presents the case that quality education in the United States is not available to all.

The population cannot propagate brilliance if a diversified field of study is not sustaining it. Graff, for this reason, assures his reader that his methods are not merely shortcuts, but segues into more advanced subject matters. “It’s a good bet that if students get hooked on reading and writing by doing term papers on Source, they will eventually get to On Liberty” (386). Citing an example of a mainstream magazine against an extended philosophical essay, Graff illustrates how an interest in a magazine can lead to a renewed interest in literacy in general. In a similar way, Johnson suggests that children will be able to carry over their academic traits from television into adulthood. “Parents should see this as an opportunity, not a crisis. Smart culture is no longer something you force your kids to ingest, like green vegetables. It's something you share.” (294). Johnson attempts to placate parents who might be skeptical of their children watching too much TV by persuading them that watching television will make their children more accepting of future academic lessons. Both authors explain how diversifying the inputs of intellectualism will result in a more dedicated group of intellectuals.

A new age has begun, one where intuition, creativity, and innovation flourish. In this new era of technology and with the invention of the computer, the world is moving faster and more efficiently than ever towards a greater future for generations to come. But with even with all of the achievements of the twenty-first century, from the mouth of Isaac Newton himself, “We build too many walls, and not enough bridges.” A movement is sweeping the nation at this very moment and is terrifying many Americans. Millennial’s are the driving force behind, as lawyer Greg Lukianoff and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt call it, “The Coddling of the American Mind”. Essentially this is people, particularly students, over-exaggerating psychological sensitivities

Citizenship lessons educate young people about morals and principles within society. Teaching politics in schools would also educate and inform young people about political parties’ manifestos. “Data from the 2009 International Civic and Citizenship

Democratic education also allows one to gain skills that can be use in everyday situation. Nussbaum notes, “This tradition argues that education is not just about the passive assimilation of facts and cultural traditions, but about challenging the mind to become active, competent, and thoughtfully critical in a complex world. This model of education supplanted an older one in which children sat still at desks all day and simply absorbed, and then regurgitated, the material that was brought their way.” (Nussbaum 18) Nussbaum criticizes the minimal use of just retaining useless information. Knowledge not utilize is equivalent to no knowledge at all. However, with democratic education one can utilize their knowledge to get out of a situation, for example, an American tourist visiting the Middle East and having the knowledge and culture awareness to greet a native Middle Eastern with the appropriate handshake.