Indoctrination vs. Independent Thinking

When I grew up in communist Romania I went to school where we were taught that in this big world we are all the same, no one is better than the other, and therefore no one should be entitled to have more than anyone else.  Yet, by the time I became a teenager, I realized that something was wrong in the way I was taught.  I had a good friend of mine who had an outstanding personality that attracted so many teenagers.  So, at that time I wanted to be just like my friend.  For a while I tried hard to copy my friend's personality with the idea that I would get the same results.  After tremendous pressure that I put on myself - after all I was trying to be someone that I was not - I realized that it wasn't working.  So, my mom - God bless her soul - asked me one day if I thought that the price of the original  Da Vinci's Monalisa was the same as a perfectly painted copy of the same art.  OK, I guess you know what I am getting to here.  So, I stopped trying to be someone else and focused on who I was and worked with my strength and my weaknesses.  This experience - and many others - lead me to the path of becoming what I believe it to be more of a non-conforming thinker.

What I have been disappointed with during our last elections was to see how many - obviously the majority of people - voted for Obama because of the "change we can believe in" he promised.  I observed this presidential candidate during most of his speeches before the elections.  Yes, he was articulate, he was eloquent, some think he's handsome, indeed he could have made a good motivational speaker.  Yet, those that voted for him did not realize that there really was no substance into any of his speeches, he did not address what exactly was his plan to bring the economy back, he did not address how we were going to deal with the exorbitant bailouts, and he certainly did not address the corruption at the corporate level within Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Worst of all, he was open about his belief in redistributing people's wealth.  So far, I yet have to find a promise that he's kept, except for the wealth redistribution ongoing at this present time.

My thoughts that went through my mind when he won the elections last year were "Do we need a president that looks like a prince and talks like an inspirational speaker or do we need someone that can really get the job done to save the country from its falling path?"  Can many folks distinguish between empty words and meaningful ones?  And here is where the problem had started a long time ago in our country.   You see, there were these "progressive thinkers" that came up with the idea that 1 + 1 does not have to necessarily equal 2.  As a matter of fact we should not be quick into calling someone an idiot if he says that it equals 3.  We should actually try to get into that person shoes' to understand WHY he thinks that 1 + 1 = 3.  Has anyone noticed that in many school activities there isn't such a thing as being the first and being the last anymore?  After all, all kids are winners, even the one that arrived in the last place.  And I have a problem with schools teaching kids to have self-esteem before they learn math, grammar, and the rest of the basics.  I thought that self-esteem is developed as a result of accomplishments.   If one is dumb as a rock how can he gain self-esteem?  It takes time and hard work to become confident and people just don't gain it out of thin air.

So, what's that got to do with thinking independently?  For decades we've gradually deviated from the "common sense" principle.  The schools, the arts, the entertainment industry have induced their new progressive way of thinking.  It's not anymore acceptable the idea of making a profit in a business.  But when it's a non-profit or a charity then it's OK.  It's not acceptable anymore to work hard and smart to better yourself and your family, because it's more important to work for the betterment of the community.  It's similar to the idea of you making other people happy before you are happy with yourself.  I don't believe in not helping other people but when you help yourself first you gain the position in which you have the capability of helping others.  Can a homeless person help you?  I highly doubt that, but if you're in an economic position to help him then you can help that poor man.  Is it selfish to want to better yourself and your family first?  I don't think so but many folks have been conditioned with the idea that it is selfish.

The bottom line is that there is a serious process of indoctrination going on in most of our public institutions, in the media, in the govt., and in many big corporations.  Unfortunately, is not promotion of entrepreneurship.  It is the promotion of organized labor, egalitarianism, and in a subliminal way, obedience.  I am writing this not necessarily with the intention to make you agree with me but I am writing so that you can think of what I said, evaluate it, bring your own life experience and then form your own opinion.  Don't always agree with those in power just because they tell you to do so.