HOMESCHOOLING: Haven or Havoc?
CHAPTER 2—Unmasking Context
HOMESCHOOLING: Haven or Havoc?
CHAPTER 2—Unmasking Context
Remember the original Star Trek series where the interplay between Bones, Spock, and Captain Kirk more than made up for the low-budget effects? In the episode, “The Devil in the Dark,” Bones protests Kirk’s order to heal the silicon-based alien killer, “Damn it, Jim! I’m a doctor, not a bricklayer!” Yet, he does, by extrapolating principles from carbon-based lifeforms to the silicon monster, who [spoiler alert] turned out to be a mom protecting her eggs.
In college, my engineering classes reinforced that real life isn’t so kind as to provide all the information you need to solve a problem. You must apply principles to the context. And you must grasp the context to know which principles apply.
Whether it’s judging the framers of the U.S. Constitution, an infrastructure based on fossil fuels, or viral mask mandates, what could possibly replace context? Learning and appreciating context is hard work. Yet the most vociferous societal outcry depends on—thrives on—snapshots out of context.
Whose daughter will discover cures for cancer—the one taught to study the challenge, appreciate its complexities, then apply principles toward solutions? Or the one led to believe that science is situational, and a popular end justifies any means to achieve it?
Whose son will broker international peace? The one who understands opposing parties in such depth as to craft a win-win? Or the one indoctrinated to seek offenses then cancel the perceived offenders?
Who is more likely to teach your children the context behind the world’s most contentious issues?
Only you can answer that question.
To Your Success!
Photo Credit
- Image by nellafoto from Pixabay (CC BY 2.0)
- https://unsplash.com/photos/0HPxUO1uIMY
- Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash
Remember the original Star Trek series where the interplay between Bones, Spock, and Captain Kirk more than made up for the low-budget effects? In the episode, “The Devil in the Dark,” Bones protests Kirk’s order to heal the silicon-based alien killer, “Damn it, Jim! I’m a doctor, not a bricklayer!” Yet, he does, by extrapolating principles from carbon-based lifeforms to the silicon monster, who [spoiler alert] turned out to be a mom protecting her eggs.
In college, my engineering classes reinforced that real life isn’t so kind as to provide all the information you need to solve a problem. You must apply principles to the context. And you must grasp the context to know which principles apply.
Whether it’s judging the framers of the U.S. Constitution, an infrastructure based on fossil fuels, or viral mask mandates, what could possibly replace context? Learning and appreciating context is hard work. Yet the most vociferous societal outcry depends on—thrives on—snapshots out of context.
Whose daughter will discover cures for cancer—the one taught to study the challenge, appreciate its complexities, then apply principles toward solutions? Or the one led to believe that science is situational, and a popular end justifies any means to achieve it?
Whose son will broker international peace? The one who understands opposing parties in such depth as to craft a win-win? Or the one indoctrinated to seek offenses then cancel the perceived offenders?
Who is more likely to teach your children the context behind the world’s most contentious issues?
Only you can answer that question.
To Your Success!
Photo Credit
- Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash
Garth Hassel
Retirement Income Strategist
Garth Hassel is a best-selling author, speaker, and wealth architect with over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. As a navigator of the financial seas, he sees what others can't, charting safe conventional and alternate routes to his clients' destinations. He can be reached at [email protected].
