The key to understanding our full potential is to understand where we have come from, and a programme on the National Geographic Channel triggered an epiphany for me. A wonderfully created program sought to look at why humans are different from apes - to really get to the core reason why we are so advanced as a species compared to our closest ancestor, the apes. The fact that we have more brain matter/neurons is a given, but does not explain the sheer magnitude of the difference. The programme finds similarities in many previously considered aspects - use of tools, collaboration and teamwork, even romantic love, and the ability to copy from others and thereby create a shared culture. The final experiment however was the most interesting. It presents a black box to the ape/child candidates - and a brief training on a series of steps that pushes out a treat. Both the chimp and the child pick up the elaborate routine that pushes out the treat. The black box is then replaced with an exact replica of it that is transparent. From the series of steps that were taught, only the last step is really relevant to push the treat out - and this becomes obvious due to the transparency of the box. Interestingly, the chimp cuts through the chase, and skips all the initial irrelevant steps and performs the only relevant step that is required to take the treat out. In contrast, all the children go through the motions they were taught, even though it is apparent that most of the steps are irrelevant! At first glance, it would seem that the chimps win this test hands down. The program concludes that this is one of the deciding traits that has allowed humans to advance the way they have, compared to their close cousins. Human beings can stand on the intellectual shoulders of their ancestors - so they never really start from scratch. Language and other forms of early communication between humans was key to this breakthrough and helped pass knowledge and experiences from generation to generation. This is the small difference in our evolution that has made the huge difference and allowed us to accumulate technological advances and transfer our achievements across generations. The ability to teach and be taught is one of the most powerful differentiators for human beings.
Now think about the exact paradox of the above. The biggest human advances have come from those rare individuals with the ability to question the status quo! From Copernicus and Galileo Galilei to Newton and Einstien as well as most of our religious leaders, they took the important step of questioning what they were taught and thinking outside of the confines of what was commonly believed. Contrast this to the rest of the species who blindly follow what they're taught. Think of the individuals who are "taught" to take their own life for a "cause" - a cause they most likely inherited. More toned down forms of this blind allegiance to a cause or a one-sided perspective of reality can be seen all around us - especially in the form of mindless racism and religious extremism. Unfortunately, extremists all over the world have realized the power that we have to influence others, especially children, and are using it as the most powerful weapon to create suicidal maniacs. Imagine the possibilities if we could teach people how to think, how to keep an open mind, and how to use evidence based reasoning on top of our inherited knowledge and experiences? Can we train our children how to see multiple perspectives of the same problem? Can this skill be imparted through education?
What does this mean to all of us? I think it means we need to balance what we're taught with our own reasoning. And it must start with each of us thinking through and questioning everything we have the strongest belief in. Can we listen to and try to understand ideas which are diametrically opposed to what we believe in? By doing so, we strengthen our ability to stand on top of the intellectual shoulders of our ancestors without being bogged down by them. If each of us can do this, and be agents of change, I think the human race will find itself in a much better place.
Now think about the exact paradox of the above. The biggest human advances have come from those rare individuals with the ability to question the status quo! From Copernicus and Galileo Galilei to Newton and Einstien as well as most of our religious leaders, they took the important step of questioning what they were taught and thinking outside of the confines of what was commonly believed. Contrast this to the rest of the species who blindly follow what they're taught. Think of the individuals who are "taught" to take their own life for a "cause" - a cause they most likely inherited. More toned down forms of this blind allegiance to a cause or a one-sided perspective of reality can be seen all around us - especially in the form of mindless racism and religious extremism. Unfortunately, extremists all over the world have realized the power that we have to influence others, especially children, and are using it as the most powerful weapon to create suicidal maniacs. Imagine the possibilities if we could teach people how to think, how to keep an open mind, and how to use evidence based reasoning on top of our inherited knowledge and experiences? Can we train our children how to see multiple perspectives of the same problem? Can this skill be imparted through education?
What does this mean to all of us? I think it means we need to balance what we're taught with our own reasoning. And it must start with each of us thinking through and questioning everything we have the strongest belief in. Can we listen to and try to understand ideas which are diametrically opposed to what we believe in? By doing so, we strengthen our ability to stand on top of the intellectual shoulders of our ancestors without being bogged down by them. If each of us can do this, and be agents of change, I think the human race will find itself in a much better place.
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