We are 87 days away from nominating the 47th president of the United States of America! What an exciting time; it will shape our country for generations! But have we done our due diligence in considering the nominees?
We have moved entirely to the online platform as our designated place for public discourse. Though it may be very entertaining, it has also become a dumping ground for feelings, feelings, emotions, and more feelings! Herein lies the problem: Nominating a president and entertainment should have remained separate. Also, culturally, our feelings seem to trump the facts.
The discourse in early America was much different from what it is today. It was generally serious, rational, and complete.
Reading was the primary tool for gaining knowledge and consuming information about elected officials. This would benefit the reader by allowing them to understand the elected official’s ideas before forming an opinion. In addition, the writer would be protected from falsehood.
Also, our public discourse was held in a town square, which journalists still cover, but there were fewer theatrics than we see today.
We have completely moved to image-based, televised public discourse.
The mediums we use to exchange ideas have drastically changed in the last 400 years. Here is the progression from the mid-1600s to 2024.
- Books
- Pamphlets
- Newspapers
- Television
- Social Media
The medium is the message; therefore, based on this progression, it is sparse, quick, and reduced to sound bites.
Ideas are no longer presented in their entirety; using the current mediums, such as social media, has damaged the foundation of how we form an opinion. We are using the Internet and social media to source information; perhaps 1984 by George Orwell was not too far off – clicking a button can change history!
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Let’s pivot quickly to early education and why it is a pivotal period in a child’s life. From the moment a child is born, they consume information. They not only consume information but also have a natural desire to learn.
To date, writing has been the most valuable and logical form of transferring the ideas of great thinkers. The first books were handwritten scrolls dating back to 500 BC. When unrolled, these scrolls could be up to 52 feet wide. Humans have gone to great lengths to share and preserve their ideas.
Later, we would move to the formation of books as we see them today and canonizing the greats. Great ideas had to be preserved by hand-copying text; now we use the printing press. The printing press changed the landscape of transferring ideas for most of humanity!
In the 15th century, printing had gone mainstream, thanks to Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press in 1439 AD. This mechanical device allowed the mass production of books, newspapers, and pamphlets.
Today, we don’t see nearly as many people reading first and then forming opinions. We see more opinions made from predigested information. In other words, we form opinions based on what others think, never going to the source. Children grow into young adults and later adults who will shape the world.
Their choice of mediums to consume information, at best, should be taught and shaped from the very beginning. History is far more important now than ever. We have about 6,000 successful recorded years, showing us great countries’ rise and fall.
The scripture tells us, “There is nothing new under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 1:9
What has been will be again; what has been done will be done again.
Unarguably, the most important thing we can teach our children is to think critically and think for themselves. Our chief responsibility is to form opinions and make choices. We have choices to make every day, choices that will create paths and dictate our future. We need to develop the skill to think logically. Math helps with that; some ideas can be debunked at their onset.
North will always be North. – Justice Clarence Thomas
Otherwise, if we entertain an idea because it sounds good and not because it is rooted in TRUTH, we will convince ourselves that we shall accept it -by way of reason. Therefore, reason is fallible and cannot be trusted as a guide. Reason in itself has convinced people to commit erroneous acts.
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Opinions are “Justice in Thought.” The best way to describe justice is simply dignity for humanity. Therefore, whatever opinion we have should work at every angle. It should show no falsehood. There are some undisputed truths woven into nature.
We live in a time when people have allowed their eyes to deceive them. For example, we are being asked to call a banana an orange.
My eyes tell me it is a banana, but you want me to call it an orange. Do you think this makes sense? If we fall to this false ideology, we will give up our dignity.
As Tomas Sowell says, who knows what they will do once power is concentrated? Even if it starts with good intentions, history will tell us it will not end well.
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Reading: A Learned Discipline.
“Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” – Matthew 4:4
The canonized Bible is professed to be Holy, infallible, and God’s mouthpiece. Perhaps God could have sent us His word in many forms, but He chose to send it in typography.
It comprises 66 books, 1189 chapters, 31,173 verses, and 40 authors, written over 1500 years on three different continents in 3 different languages (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic).
It is historical documentation of 6,000 years of humanity; no other compilation of books contains this type of information or historical proof.
The Bible, the Holy Spirit-inspired Word of God, has been accurately copied and transmitted to us. The evidence consists of 5,000 ancient manuscripts, which are available today.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. – 2 Timothy 3:16
The writers were from all walks of life: business people, traders, shepherds, fishermen, soldiers, physicians, preachers, and kings. They were from three different continents and mostly never met.
The chief idea here is the Bible is that it is a credible source! The Creator revealed Himself to His creation and died for our sins to restore our relationship with Him so we may have everlasting life. The authors came from all walks of life and have one common message. God says this to His children:
- I am Love
- I choose you
- I am with you always
- I will never forsake you
Another point to recognize is hidden in the main message of the Bible: God’s word came in typography. Therefore, the discipline of reading must be important. It may be how we are intended to consume information, digest it, and then form our opinions on all matters.
“The Bible is a collection of one nation’s legal, literary, historical, poetical, philosophical, ethical, and analytical writing.” – Charlotte Mason.
In other words, it contains exactly the skill-based reading we all need, and no other book can compare! Ms. Mason does not suggest it is the only book we should read; perhaps it would make us narrow-minded. However, it is the most important and should be our first daily subject.
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The discipline of reading must be taught to our children; there are three important stages:
- Skill Stage: The earliest reading stage is phonics- the systematic study of English letters and their sounds.
Phonics only covers the first part of English, the words children learn to speak first, up to the third grade. During this first reading stage, we use the language derived from the Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes).
The second part of our language, which we begin to read and speak after the third grade, is derived from Latin.
Their language was more complex, with more syllables, abstract meanings, and different pronunciations and spelling patterns.
The English Language derives from both Germanic tribes and Latin. Studying Latin is the foundation of understanding grammar and wordplay.
Early readers must learn to read slowly, finish the book, and, as Marcus Aurelius said, “Never settle the gist.”
- Comprehension: Learning to comprehend comes naturally but must be developed through narration. The Art of Narration has been used since ancient times.
Comprehending allows the reader to gain knowledge of the material, read, and digest the material themselves, much like the digestion of food.
Skill and comprehension do not always advance in tandem. Read challenging books!
Read books aloud to your children, generally two or three grade levels above the student’s reading level. The student will soon be comfortable hearing new words and adding to their vocabulary.
- Contemplative Reading: Read and mull over the ideas. It is the bridge that gives us knowledge, and later wisdom will show us how to use it, helping us choose voice or virtue.
The contemplative reader says, “I read Shakespeare,” not I have read Shakespeare.” Good books are meant to be re-read!
Lastly, let’s begin to build our children’s personal libraries, adding only quality books and excluding the twaddle.
Books build on each other; they are cumulative. With the countless references written in the most enduring books, we would miss the point if we did not gain a handle during the early stages of reading. We must approach literature strategically.
Reading is a learned discipline that takes time to develop. It is the most valuable way to gain knowledge and form well-thought-out opinions. Opinions are our Justice in Thought!
Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash