Going back to the dawn of civilization, perhaps back to the onset of mankind’s existence, education has been an integral part of society. Before the formation of schools and other establishments where specific and orderly lessons are instructed on students by a more knowledgeable person, mankind has been educated. Through the utilization of our senses, the processing of information, the exchange of ideas, and rationalization, mankind has been able to educate itself of the world and its lessons.
Education in and of itself is by no means schooling or instruction. Sure, people can be “educated” through school or institutions, but this isn’t the sole source of it. One can be just as educated while not attending a school as someone who does. Instead, education is an enlightening experience. Those who are best educated are those who recognize certain truths of the world, as well as the flaws of it, while being able to think freely for themselves. To be educated is to be freed from the shackles of attractive and easy mental handicaps.
Instruction is sometimes the antithesis of education. It can be education’s deceitful and charming brother. Instruction and schooling are the exact shackles, if gone about improperly, that an educated person is freed from. In school, students are trained to perform certain tasks in a specific and preconceived manner. From algebra problems, to persuasive essays, there’s always a formula in which students must follow. The familiar “5 paragraph essay” is a school-programmed skill. It requires no creativity or ingenuity, and instead acts as an easy solution that is simple to follow. It discourages thought, as students are expected to come up with only three reasons for their argument, and a similar introduction and conclusion. When the students somehow learns that there’s more to writing than the formulaic method instructed, and writes instead based on how they feel necessary, the students then become educated.
Education is an enlightening experience in the sense that it provides the student with a “life lesson” that promotes free thought. Consider, for example, a kid whose parents happen to be going through a divorce. By actively being in the middle of (or at least aware of) arguments and fights, compromises, passion, and emotion, the kid will be able to learn the struggles of being in a relationship and the idea of personal freedom versus being totally committed to supporting the family for example. Yes the kid can just as easily be taught the same lessons from school through instruction, but the kid would not be as educated without the experience.
To be truly educated is also to use intellect for the advancement of one’s awareness, and/or others. An educated person then would use their knowledge to perhaps widen their mindset on certain cultures, or increase their understanding of the various issues that people other than themselves face. A truly educated person could perhaps seek to learn another language for the sake of communicating with another group of people. An educated person could also use their intellect to help advance others by passing on their knowledge on how to face certain problems. A father passing on advice about family values and whatnot to his kids would be something an educated person would do.
Often, being truly educated may imply being moral as well, but this isn’t always the case. When it comes to being truly educated, there is no set morality that comes with it. An educated person can be a nurse, teacher, scammer or politician. As long as that person follows their own path, and uses their knowledge to advance their own awareness and/or others, then she or he is educated.
All in all, to be truly educated is to have free thought, and to utilize knowledge with the intention of advancing yourself and/or others. It’s to be open-minded, and to apply what’s learned to the progress of the individual and/or society.
