Beware of people who appear intelligent. It may be that they have cultivated a specialised word driven type of knowledge. It may be that they are masters of manipulating word forms to appear ‘superior’ or advanced, but what lies behind the words is love of force and control.

Other people who may seem deranged or even illiterate, or do not have the gift of words, may demonstrate intelligence in unique ways if we pay attention to them. They might have access to sensory, intuitive knowing, that is way beyond our understanding.

Intelligence is more than knowing facts or being able to analyse them. The missing element is listening… Real intelligence is a form of listening. Listening is knowing, empathy is knowing, being willing to be vulnerable is knowledge…these signs of other intelligences, not necessary respected by society, are not only devalorized by the education system, but actively destroyed… they get in the way of creating adaptable citizens. But adaptation is the end of learning.

I notice this in my classes. The unadapted student is so often the most unique. He is often full of physical energy, mental energy, which can’t be contained in the spacial restraints of the classroom. In another society such a students gifts would be appreciated, he might be a magician, a seer of some kind, a troubadour or a expert in the hunt.

Imposing systematic knowledge on him is so destructive. He can’t be taught at all in the classical sense. He should be give space and time and material.

Teaching works the best when the teacher doesn’t actually teach anything — he just shares who he is, rather than forcing the student to ape his own system. He might share some knowledge and give the student access and ways to learn, but especially with language, imitation, does’t work. This is because each being is unique, and has find is own unique form of expression, from the inside outwards, rather than by aping models to interiorise. The mass produced, industrial modes of education have for a long time revealed their limitations and violence towards individuals.

The education system is very good at making people appear intelligent, to steamroll them into positions of power. But those who are truly sensitive will always be forced to build trojan horses, or to find paths untrodden…