MENTAL ANOREXIA

Being boring has never been popular, to be sure. Brevity is the sole of wit.

Lately, however, it seems that the number of words is of more concern than the quality of the words, the richness of thought. There is no patience for a real exchange of ideas. Being short-spoken is valued over accurately or flavorfully getting a point across. No one has time to talk something through, and intelligent, respectful difference of opinion is dismissed as a waste of time. It seems far more important to find out about Heidi’s divorce from Spencer than to discuss education, drilling for natural gas and oil, healthcare, the economy, art. (Why talk in person at all when we can text each other?)

Surely, there has always been a need to streamline. But the tendency to go for the shortest answer can be short-sided, and worse, lacking in imagination. Don’t ask people to explain themselves. Don’t ask people to read. Don’t ask people to be creative, and for God’s sake DON’T challenge them to do something they think they don’t want to do, even if they don’t know what it is. The resistance to stretching one’s imagination has become the American anathema. We have forgotten how to listen.

Celebrity was never intended to be an art form unto itself and is different than pop culture. PEOPLE magazine, though diverting, should never replace great literature in our society. This is not an unfair swipe at PEOPLE—it was never intended as art. It is mental potato chips, pop corn, a snack for the brain—but it is no substitution for a truly great and nutritious “meal.” Right now, our cultural and educational systems are fostering mental anorexia.

The problem is most prominent in our classrooms. Instead of bringing our youth into adult discussions, we seem to be content reducing our concerns to the lowest common denominator. Attempts to get kids to stretch their minds (taking more patience and time) are discouraged, and if kids whine, fearful of not meeting the task and therefore refusing to do it, we capitulate immediately and stop the activity. We calm them down to stop their whining—which I guess makes it easier for the adults. More time is spent on “classroom management,” finding ways to keep students controlled, docile—usually at the expense of igniting their imaginations, creativity and energy. Certainly, disruption and harmful behavior should be nipped in the bud, and rudeness should never be tolerated. But recognizing where the excitement and noise comes from is essential. It is crucial that children develop the ability to articulate their ideas, their emotions, and their dreams. And for educators, recognizing when the fear of being laughed at is causing a kid to manipulate them into expulsion from the classroom is a skill that must be developed. Kids will say “I’m bored” at the drop of a hat, if they think it will get them out of something they are resisting, especially expressing themselves. If we only let kids explore that which they choose to know, we do them a disservice, for they simply don’t know what they don’t know. They will be managed, perhaps, but they will not be creative individuals.

And national test scores will continue to decline. Those boring old teachers, who used to make us read, write in detail, explain and explore our thoughts? How come American education scores were higher and success stories more prevalent in their generation? It seems the more modern curriculum is streamlined by our latest educational gurus, the worse our education crisis deepens and the more vapid our culture grows. It’s time to start listening again, perhaps most importantly, to what is NOT being said.