The essence of education is character formation, teaching young
people how to live in society & encouraging them to think
independently. Study is much more than simply absorbing existing
knowledge & techniques, & the ability to memorise &
reason is nothing compared to the wisdom, emotional richness &
creativity that resides within every human being.
Education that does not reach a sense of value turns people into
mere robots filled with data but with no understanding of what it
is for. Such soulless, over-competitive schooling makes successful
children arrogant, while the less academically bright are left with
little self-confidence & a deep fear of failure.
Sadly, education is often used to cultivate people who are useful
only to the extent that they fit into various slots in society,
& school systems in Singapore & many other countries
actually prevent children from developing their full
potential.
In the race to climb the ladder of scholastic prestige &
status, we can easily lose sight of the most important question of
all: What is the purpose of learning?
The genuine goal of education must be lifelong happiness of those
who learn. Education should never be subordinated to the demands of
national ego, or of corporations searching for profit-generating
employees. Human beings, happiness, must always be the goal &
objective.
The greatest error of modern humanity was that it confused
knowledge with wisdom. Knowledge itself is a neutral tool that can
be used for good or evil. As history sadly proves, educated
monsters can wreak far greater horror than their unschooled
brothers. At least 7 of the participants at the Wannsee Conference
where the Nazis planned the final solution extermination to
the Jewish problem, had doctoral degrees, it is hard to imagine a
greater perversion & debasement of education.
Wisdom, in contrast, always directs us towards happiness. The task
of education must be to stimulate & unleash the wisdom that
lies dormant in the lives of all young people. This is not a forced
process, like pressing something into a preformed mould, but rather
drawing out the potential that exist within.
Every young people have the power within him or her to change the
world. It is the role of those who teach to believe in that power,
to encourage & release it.
Each person has their own path in life; a unique mission that only
they can fulfil.
The example of flowering fruit trees cherry, plum, pear, etc
can be use to illustrate how each person has a unique mission in
life. A cherry tree fulfils its purpose by blooming & bearing
fruit as a cherry tree. It never tries to be anything other than
itself. It never imitates the blossoms of other flowering trees or
wastes time being jealous of them. Rather, it patiently bears the
frosts & snows of winter, drawing energy from the earth itself,
pushing its roots deeper into the soil. Then, with the arrival of
spring, in a burst it unleashes all the life force that it had been
storing up, sending forth countless blossoms.
Everyone has some kind of gift. Being talented does not mean just
being a good musician, writer or athlete. There are many kinds of
talent. You may be a great conversationalist, or make friends
easily, or be able to put others at ease. Or you may have a gift
for telling jokes, selling things or living economically. You may
be punctual, patient, reliable, kind or optimistic. Or you may love
taking on new challenges, be strongly committed to helping others,
or have an ability to bring them joy. Without doubt, you possess
your special jewel, your own unique talent.
In the same way, each of us has a mission that only we can fulfil.
That mission will not be found somewhere far away, in doing
something special or extraordinary. Even those people who seem to
have led great lives have really only done what they felt they had
to do in order to truly be themselves.
We realize our purpose in life by doing our very best where we are
right at this moment, by thinking about what we can do to improve
the lives of those around us.
You need to develop & polish your character until it shines, in
order to create value & contribute to the world. The ultimate
strengths in life are not a clever tongue or wealth; nor fame or
power. The real weapon or tool for living a successful live is
what is left over when all empty artifice has been stripped away
the quality of your character as an individual. And small, steady
efforts to develop yourself are what will lead you to the greatest
happiness in the end.
A person with a strong sense of mission is a source of light. For
such a person, there is no darkness in the world. And just as a
single lighthouse can guide many ships through dangerous waters, a
single person shining with the light of genuine happiness can help
friends & family their entire society find the smooth open
waters of peace & fulfillment.
When one is young, giving in to negativity or cynicism, the most
important thing is not to give up on oneself. Do not compare
oneself with others. Be true to who you are & try to cherish
& feel content with your own irreplaceable life. Even if you
are sometimes laughed at, or people let you down, keep going
forward & never let yourself be defeated.
Just by being young you possess a treasure more valuable than power
or fame. To be young is to have hope, passion & freedom. Your
whole life lies ahead of you, brimming with possibilities.
Rather than a life of blank pages, it is better to live a life
crammed full of memories of struggles & wonderfully varied
experiences. Not to make waves, not to leave behind any history,
but just to grow old & die, is a sad way to live.
While still in your youth, you can become the main actors in the
human drama unfolding around you, the shapers of history. Even if
you feel powerless, that it is difficult to believe in yourself,
please try not to be easily swayed by the views of others, &
hold true to what you know is right. Try to believe in
yourself.
