Chapter Five
Education and Personal Development: The Long Shadow of Work
Education and Personal Development: The Long Shadow of Work
As was mentioned in previous chapters, major aspects of the way education is organized, replicates the domination and subordination that plays out in the economic sphere. This is coupled with the fact that education system has the task of integrating youth into adult roles. In doing so this constrains types of personal development, or the personal development function. The authors state that this propagation of the capitalist economy is also done through the reproduction of consciousness.
The question posed at the beginning of the chapter to explain this reproduction of consciousness is: "How are the social relations of work re-produced?"
To begin with you will need a definition of what is meant by the consciousness of workers to understand how it perpetuates the inequalities of the capitalist economy. The consciousness of workers is ones beliefs, values, self-concepts, modes of personal behavior and development that perpetuate and validate the economic institutions. The authors state that people voluntarily participate in the way capitalism is run and the social relations that spring from it. What they think they can accomplish, their hopes and dreams, are based in the capitalist system.
I agree with the fact that most individuals within the Western culture feel that capatalism is in its purest form the best way to organize society and that it is a voluntary process . Yet I think that we are all becoming aware of the issues that have been arising from the way in which we use our resources, the way in which our politics are being run and the fact that there seems to be so much inequality within the capitalist system and in other parts of the globe. I think that many do want change but not change that would fundamentally alter the way things are right now. The bottom line is that I don't think we are ready to give up the luxuries and the life styles that we have all become accustomed to for the grater good. Otherwise, there would have been the shift to a more 'socialist' ideology that the authors have been alluding to. On the other hand there seems to be more awareness, more movements, such as the green movement that speak to a shift in the way some people are thinking. It will be interesting to see what comes from all of this awareness.
I do think that the generally individuals look at the capitalist way of running things as something that must be 'dealt with.' Many people I have talked to feel powerless to change the way things are and go along with their day to day lives, and are concerned with paying their bills and taking care of their own families. The individuals that I have met that are more adamant about making change feel that it needs to be done through the course of politics not education, which mirrors what the authors are talking about. Generally these individuals feel that change takes a long time and comes in small steps.
The authors then go onto speak of the fact that reproduction of the social relations of production depend on this reproduction of consciousness which occurs when:
1. The economic system is embraced when the perceived needs of an individual are in line with what the economic system can objectively provide.
2. The view that fundamental social change is not feasible (consciousness of inevitability) which is not only a cultural system but is also facilitated by social distinctions. It is this divide and conquer ideology that is embedded in the capitalist society which perpetuates this.
This must be reproduced through the experience of daily life. This consciousness is developed through an individuals direct perception of and participation in social life. Individuals tend to channel the development of personal powers in a direction where they will have the opportunity to exercise them. I agree with what the authors are talking about here. I have many friends and relatives around my age who have not continued with post secondary education for a variety of reasons. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard the statement, "Well I don't know what to do now because I have no education or job experience that will get me to where I want to go." It is almost like these individuals create their own self-fulfilling prophesies. They feel that they are stuck within a certain rung of society and will never make more money or fully realize their talents. They are buying into what the authors were talking about in the previous chapter in regards to credentials, grades and the whole meritocratic ideology, which is the only way to get ahead. What they should be asking is, where are the supports for me to make the changes I need to, where or who can help me take the next step in life.
To be continued...
The question posed at the beginning of the chapter to explain this reproduction of consciousness is: "How are the social relations of work re-produced?"
To begin with you will need a definition of what is meant by the consciousness of workers to understand how it perpetuates the inequalities of the capitalist economy. The consciousness of workers is ones beliefs, values, self-concepts, modes of personal behavior and development that perpetuate and validate the economic institutions. The authors state that people voluntarily participate in the way capitalism is run and the social relations that spring from it. What they think they can accomplish, their hopes and dreams, are based in the capitalist system.
I agree with the fact that most individuals within the Western culture feel that capatalism is in its purest form the best way to organize society and that it is a voluntary process . Yet I think that we are all becoming aware of the issues that have been arising from the way in which we use our resources, the way in which our politics are being run and the fact that there seems to be so much inequality within the capitalist system and in other parts of the globe. I think that many do want change but not change that would fundamentally alter the way things are right now. The bottom line is that I don't think we are ready to give up the luxuries and the life styles that we have all become accustomed to for the grater good. Otherwise, there would have been the shift to a more 'socialist' ideology that the authors have been alluding to. On the other hand there seems to be more awareness, more movements, such as the green movement that speak to a shift in the way some people are thinking. It will be interesting to see what comes from all of this awareness.
I do think that the generally individuals look at the capitalist way of running things as something that must be 'dealt with.' Many people I have talked to feel powerless to change the way things are and go along with their day to day lives, and are concerned with paying their bills and taking care of their own families. The individuals that I have met that are more adamant about making change feel that it needs to be done through the course of politics not education, which mirrors what the authors are talking about. Generally these individuals feel that change takes a long time and comes in small steps.
The authors then go onto speak of the fact that reproduction of the social relations of production depend on this reproduction of consciousness which occurs when:
1. The economic system is embraced when the perceived needs of an individual are in line with what the economic system can objectively provide.
2. The view that fundamental social change is not feasible (consciousness of inevitability) which is not only a cultural system but is also facilitated by social distinctions. It is this divide and conquer ideology that is embedded in the capitalist society which perpetuates this.
This must be reproduced through the experience of daily life. This consciousness is developed through an individuals direct perception of and participation in social life. Individuals tend to channel the development of personal powers in a direction where they will have the opportunity to exercise them. I agree with what the authors are talking about here. I have many friends and relatives around my age who have not continued with post secondary education for a variety of reasons. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard the statement, "Well I don't know what to do now because I have no education or job experience that will get me to where I want to go." It is almost like these individuals create their own self-fulfilling prophesies. They feel that they are stuck within a certain rung of society and will never make more money or fully realize their talents. They are buying into what the authors were talking about in the previous chapter in regards to credentials, grades and the whole meritocratic ideology, which is the only way to get ahead. What they should be asking is, where are the supports for me to make the changes I need to, where or who can help me take the next step in life.
To be continued...
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