I decided to return to SitD and probably get in my weekly/bi weekly entries because it is really more therapuetic than I realized. Anyway, I was hunting through my computer and I found this essay that I wrote for Philosophy Class earlier this year. Upon reading it I realized what a dolt I've become over the summer; and trust me, that is not the best feeling in the world. I figure if I can get my brain back together I can probably have a higher chance of succeeding in this years philosophy class. Anyway, read, enjoy, burn, whatever your heart desires - it won't bother me because it was marked a long time ago and I figure this is one of the best ways to kick off a new season of these kinds of thoughts. George Grant, arguably one of the greatest thinkers in the history of Canada. Much like his counterparts, Grant made extremely significant observations concerning the world in which he lived. In regards to the article titled The Minds of Men in the Atomic Age, George Grant discusses many important issues, most of which, in some way or another, effects all of us today. The primary topics of urbanization and the breakdown of truth effecting both churches and schools are among some of his strongest points of debate. Through these topics he argues that the life in which we live, given its conditions, are blurred, surreal and relatively redundant. Firstly, urbanization is a massive epidemic, which has spread throughout North America like wildfire. The value of Grants argument is of high ranking due, in part, for it’s accuracy. For the most part, we (the suburban population) are all carbon copies of each other, with very little variations which only range from hair style to clothing and even at that, the options are very limited. The majority of families are all the same, and to no surprise, even the houses are designed to be the same – the cookie cutter effect; we all even hold the same idea that we are unique, but how unalike each other are we? Slowly but surely Canada is becoming one big suburb, it’s the natural order of things, all the proof is in our history books. “For instance the farm community, as it once existed, is bound slowly to disappear – for even if people are farmers by profession they must become more and more town people with the automobile, the radio and the television, the machine and mass education.” But just how right is Grant? If it happened in the past, surely it will happen in the future; the expansion of technology is too great of a force to resist, thus it is evident that urbanization is a spreading trend and it will only continue to spread. Technology has become synonymous for the word “ease” and it is in our human nature to be attracted to things made easy. As stated in the above example urbanization allows people to work in the ‘big cities’ and, is becoming a threat to our agricultural and diverse society. I firmly agree with this argument made by Grant. And it is because of this massive move to urbanization that we have all become mindless drones, all doing the exact same things, day in, day out with very little purpose other then making money. For all intensive purposes, this new western philosophy has become the center of our existence and our only meaning of life, even to the point whereby it has replaced our values and beliefs. In addition to urbanization, Grant also held that the search for truth is not being up held within our schools, meaning that the institutions of schools do not sustain their original purpose of assisting in finding the ‘truth.’ The majority of the democratic system accepts and follows the theory of mass education set forth by John Dewey. However, what we failed to realize is that in the 1930’s, with the implementation of the Dewey Decimal System, we accepted and thus, automatically agreed to the fact that “human beings have no transcendent purpose beyond society – no need for liberation of the mind.” But how hypocritical is that – if we preach and value uniqueness, should we not also extend that into the realm of education? Of course not, we only like individuality as long as it conforms to fit within the norms of society. Education has become so distant from the search for truth that we can no longer figure out how to obtain it, or exactly what it is for that matter. Instead of education being specialized to each child’s developments, aptitudes and strengths, it has become one big mass unit of knowledge for all to ingest. Yet at the same time, they are not being taught anything more then what they can see; only that which is directly in front of them. For the best paid, exaggerated and emphasized professions revolve around science – social, technological, esthetic, and medicinal – and although these are all respectable areas of study, one cannot help but question if there is more to this life then mere financial conquest. I say this because, although I am sure people choose a profession because they enjoy doing what they do, I am not convinced that money does not sway or bias a person’s choice. For you see, human nature is to love money, and it is due to this desire for money that has caused us to only focus on learning what will get us the money we want, not need – want. Anything above or beyond that is of no value, and is not seen as ‘practical.’ What they [the government and corporations] really mean to say, is that they don’t want you thinking in depth about things because once you start to think, you’ll question everything like how democratic is this ‘democratic’ society. And that scares them the most, why you ask? Because once the general public starts thinking of ways to improve the world, or to a lesser extent, democracy, people will start wondering why this hasn’t been thought of before, and eventually that will lead to anyone who possesses any power being thrown out of office. They call this “Anarchy,” and say it will deviate away from the truth [which is known as the law] – it is shunned and discouraged but no one really knows what will happen if and or when the truth is revealed to us. So in order to maintain order and the ideologies which, have been put in place by the governments and corporations, the education system is being tainted by suppressing access to the truth through education. Lastly, the church, in all of it’s glory is also turning into a secular organization. It is seen more as a place of gathering, not just for religious communion, but for socializing. This can be a good thing in moderation, for it has potential to strengthen the community. But when church socials start to interfere with the everyday operations something has gone horribly wrong. The institutions of religion, not unlike that of education, are slipping. The goal and ultimate purpose of the church is assisting in the discovery of the truth in regards to faith and God. The church in itself has done a fairly good job in maintaining that, but the people who follow the religion have taken that focus and changed it. They have changed it to the point whereby what is supposed to be the holiest and most sacred of establishment is caught up in what Grant calls “the economic expansion.” However the organization itself is only partially to blame, these days a religion is not solely dictated by what the leaders say or do, but also by what the people want and believe to be in the best interest of themselves; whether they be right or wrong. Originally religion was created by the people for the people through divine intervention for the betterment of our souls and society. But it has become less then that; it is to the point where religion is simply there, a shield for some, a weapon for other and none of it having to do with God or a divine truth. Hence Grant is correct in his belief that religion has morphed into something it was not originally designed to be. In relation to the above points and the future of Canada, it is apparent that things will only get worse if steps are not taken to answer the riddle that is our society. The institutions of schools and churches will continue to deteriorate and change from their original views and purposes to conform to the masses. Who are we to blame for this problem? The only people we can point the finger at are ourselves but we wont because we are so like one another that we can’t see the truth. We’ve become so wrapped up in out financial and global conquests that we’ve forgotten our morals; our very way of life; all we know is what has been programmed in us. The value placed upon faith has declined to the point where real religion is, comparatively, almost non-existent or will become so. As for education, the only reason why it is necessary is because it is a means of making more money. And even at that, in order to receive a good education, you have got to pay more and more money needlessly. It would explain why the mandatory qualifications for any given job have risen. It has nothing to do with wanting more qualified people, or creating safer work places through educated employees. It has to do with the economical principle that only money can make money. In order to get the education that will enable you to make lots of money, you have to pay a ridiculously high price, stay in school twice as long and put your life on hold. Because believe it or not, while you’re in school being educated right now, there is a surplus in your profession - a surplus which the government has to adhere to and it hurts them to have to pay all of that money. So the government and corporations raise taxes and use the universities to keep you in school for an absurd amount of years, while they figure out exactly what to do with the Baby Boomer and their children. There is no doubt in my mind that the government already has a plan of what to do when these two groups retire, whether or not it be the best solution or what exactly that solution is, I cannot speculate. So the question is why are the prices and amount of years needed for education continually rising. And the answer is because we are eternally attached to money and that will eventually lead to us destroying ourselves. To quote Rudy Kipling “All the money in the world is no use to a man or his country if he spends it as fast as he makes it. All he has left is his bills and the reputation of being a fool.” Starting Again, -Captain B. Observing