Censorship Always Fails, Education Will Succeed
Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart
For those of us who follow politics in Washington closely,
it is clear that some politicians are just plain stupid. They understand
nothing about human nature or how certain actions which failed decades in the
past continue to resurface with the same results. One of these mistakes is an
attempt to censor information, whether it be factual or nothing more than lies
or conspiracy theories.
In today’s world, if anyone seeks information about any
subject it is not difficult to find, regardless of the efforts of some
governments to hide the truth.
BOTH AMERICA’S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND PARENTS MUST DO THE
WORK
There is no need for discussion about how critical the
development of children between their preteen and teenage years into adulthood
has become in the 21st century. Although it has always been
critical, in the age of unlimited information, based on fact or based on
falsehood, what our children read or watch on television is confusing and all
too often dangerous.
There is an effort in Washington to limit, or more
accurately censor what younger Americans can see and learn from social media.
I understand the emotional depth of their concerns. I am
probably one of only a few thousand people in the United States who refuses to spend
one minute of my life on any form of social media. The majority of what is
offered is based on lies or personal fantasies. Less than about 10 percent of
what can be seen on social media is based on fact.
However, I do not believe that censorship is the answer. I
know that if parents took more interest in the actual development of their children’s
minds rather than spending all their time on extracurricular activities, the
situation could be far different. The once fine art of communication is
non-existent within most American families.
I also blame our country’s educational system. Few of
America’s young people learn how to handle the many confusing situations which
will confront them before they reach adulthood. The social sciences have become
insignificant.
If we listen to our younger men and women, we learn that
there is limited discussion about the issues facing our country in the
classroom. This is disturbing to this old man. My high school years were between
1960 and 1964. In both my U.S. History and Economics classes we were expected
to engage in discussions about what was happening in our country and occasionally
the world. Our Economics teacher required us to read the headlines in the Los
Angeles Times, and read at least one complete article every day. Sports were
not included in the assignment.
I was very shy, but these discussions became increasingly more
interesting to me, and soon I was participating frequently. This is when an
interest I discovered at the age of 10 began to become more important in my
life.
In the world of developed nations, the educational system of
the United States is ranked 15th out of 15 nations. We can and must
do better.
When I was in elementary school, education was the most
important issue for every family. This has only changed over the last 40 years.
I have no doubt this is when the “dumbing down” of America began.
Education, or more accurately the lack of education, has
become a matter of national security. Employees needed for our hi-tech industries
are composed mostly of young men and women from countries including India,
China, Japan, and other nation’s where education remains a priority.
America’s younger citizens are more interested in video
games, and other forms of “entertainment” than learning about the events and
mysteries happening every day. Creativity is disappearing. Our young sit in
front of computers rather than play sports or take part in other outdoor
activities. School days are fewer, classes are shorter, and teachers have more
restraints than they did 40 years ago.
IF YOU READ, YOU LEARN SOMETHING EVERY DAY
As a country, we are a less informed people than nearly
every other nation in the world. Too many of our people believe Trump’s claim
that “he learns everything he needs to know on television.” That may be the
saddest statement ever made by a senior in America’s history.
I have not watched a television “news” broadcast since
November 9, 2016. I have no doubt that my IQ has risen by 5-10 points.
Yes, social media is a waste of time and the biggest source
of misinformation in the world. However, it is not going away. Our young men
and women must learn the skills necessary to decide for themselves what is true
and what is false.
Op-ed by James Turnage
Find my novels on Amazon’s Kindle
Sources: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/09/protecting-teens-on-social-media
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