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The Demise of Classical Education and Where We Are Now

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Written by Kayley Kenzie

Thursday, 13 March 2008

There is a serious problem with the minds of young people today, and the demise of classical education is a direct cause. When classical education dies, so too do the ideas, visions, and values of classical Greece and Rome die with it. These ideas and values were what helped create Western civilization.

by KayleyKenzie

Universities have just started scrutinizing these very ideas, ironically enough. Few Americans know that the origins of the West were in ancient Greece.

Unfortunately, American citizens are drifting further away from the important ethical an philosophical theories that are necessary if we want to understand, appreciate, and keep the freedoms we enjoy.

Our nation was built on the foundation of Greek wisdom, and it's important for us to remember that.

We applied many of these philosophies into our governmental make-up: a constitutional government, individual rights, freedom of expression, an open economy, civilian control of the military, separation of religious and political authority, private property, free scientific inquiry, and open dissent. These are some of the things that we need now more than ever in our changing culture.

We should also bear in mind that the Greeks insisted on monitoring and tempering these freedoms with philanthropy, civic responsibility, and an absolute world view.

The Greeks did not believe that life was rosy; instead, they saw it as momentary and tragic. Concepts like this along with self-criticism kept things in check.

The demise of classical education erases a complete way of looking at the world. Instead, the new lenses in which to look at the world consist of therapeutics, moral relativism, blind allegiance, and the adoration of material culture.

For good or ill, the Greeks gave us the power to change the spiritual and physical universe. They also gave us the tools to control our most animal-like instincts so that we can contribute to the common good.

We have two choices: We can fight the demise of classical education, or we can stand by and hope that our children will struggle through the education Dark Age to bring forth a new Greek era.

If we want our children to thrive and drive off this threatening darkness, we need to find ways to teach our children to be independent thinkers who are thankful to the Greeks for what they modeled for Western civilization.

About the Author:

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