The poverty of ideas and action

HEART TO HEART

With Betty Ann Blaine

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Dear Reader,

For a country with some of the most brilliant minds one could find anywhere, I continue to be perplexed by the deficit of ideas, and worse yet, the lack of courage and conviction of those who are educated to challenge the status quo.

The recently concluded election campaign was an insult to the intelligence of any thinking person. It wasn't just that the platforms boiled down to a "tracing" match between the two main rivals about who was more corrupt than whom, it was also the complete lack of intellectual rigour commensurate with a society that has such a large class of educated people and a wide assortment of schools, colleges and universities.

The questions that I keep asking are, "How can a country with such a high concentration of intellectual capital be teetering on the verge of collapse? What is it that accounts for the gap between the "brilliance" on the one hand, and the "broken" on the other?

I would hope that these are questions occupying the minds of the leaders of our major educational institutions, and if they aren't, then clearly something is radically wrong and they ought to "wake up and smell the coffee". As far as I am concerned, if the country's tertiary institutions are not producing transformational leaders, then they might as well call it a day and go into some other kind of business.

The point is that if the society is failing, then so are our institutions of higher learning, and those who continue to live in the ivory towers of academia had better begin paying attention to what is happening on the outside of those walls.

What is even more perplexing is the fact that we now have living examples all over the world to emulate and encourage us to action. Globally, 2011 can be best described as "the year of people power". In the most striking and spontaneous fashion, people all over the globe took to the streets last year. To my mind, the Arab Spring best epitomises the dynamism of the movements in the Middle East, followed by the "Occupy Wall Street Movement" in the United States and across the world. Of note was the huge population of young people positioned at the forefront of the various uprisings and direct action campaigns.

So what is the difference between those young people and ours? What exactly is going on at our colleges and universities that is inhibiting youth activism? The Prophet Muhammad was quoted as saying, "If you see something wrong with the world, change it with your hands". That powerful statement should be inscribed on the walls of our educational institutions and embedded in the policies, programmes and culture of all those places where learning takes place.

One of the criticisms I have of the new People's National Party (PNP) administration is its perpetuation of political "parochialism". So far, every major appointment made is based entirely on loyalty to party, and while we understand that rewarding party faithful is germane to politics as we know it, it's a pity that the PNP doesn't appreciate the need to engage some of those in the society who are independent, progressive thinkers into its administration. The example set by US President Barack Obama in the way he embraced and invited his Republican rival into his Cabinet, was not only exemplary, it was smart. Obama made it clear that it was going to be country over party and he reached out for the best man to do the job.

And there are numerous scholars and experts with excellent ideas for reconstructing the Jamaican society and economy. Not only is there a repository of knowledge and experience waiting to be the tapped, but the capacity of those to network with colleagues and contemporaries outside of Jamaican is clearly underestimated.

Jamaica is suffering from a poverty of ideas, and already it appears as if the new administration is ready to fall into the same ditch of intellectual and creative stagnation that characterised previous governments.

Among the critical areas of national development is education reform and there are experts both inside and outside of Jamaica with a lot to offer. Last Thursday, I had the distinct pleasure of attending a public lecture hosted by the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) at the University of the West Indies. The main presentation was delivered by Professor Pedro Noguera of New York University, a leading expert in education and education transformation. Addressing the topic, "Education for Social and Economic Development: toward a more equitable and Just Jamaica in the 21st century", Professor Noguera, whose mother, interestingly, is Jamaican, skilfully outlined the problems and the solutions for education transformation. The ideas were fresh, dynamic and workable, and the only thing that I regretted was that the new minister of education was not present. It was definitely information and ideas for policy makers and implementers.

It is high time we narrow the huge gap between the intellectual prowess on the one hand and the realities of day-to-day living on the other, not only for the stimulation and sustenance of progressive and enlightened thought, but also for the advancement of the common man.

With love,

bab2609@yahoo.com

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COMMENTS (11)

kavon fiennes
1/31/2012

What world are you living in BAB? It cannot be Jamaica that you are referring to! Where you get this idea that the country has a high concentration of intellectuals. Must be in the small bubble that you and your kind live in! By the way I assume you are counting yourself among the "Educated and Intellectuals"! This column is a joke!

Jaye Stone
1/25/2012

I should have said *the real causes and not just the symptoms of crime*

Jaye Stone
1/25/2012

If we were as brilliant as you claim, Betty Ann, one would see that brilliance reflected in our society. One would see long term projects to benefit the disadvantaged, engage the youth, tackle the real symptoms of crime. And the existence of all these tertiary institutions mean nothing in themselves. What is being taught there? Are students being taught how to think, or what to think? Brilliant minds indeed; look at the size of the country, and we can't even manage it.

wanda woeman
1/25/2012

BAB must realize that critics are a dime a dozen She also, must know by now that 3rd parties will never go anywhere in JA. She must also know that ppl who do things the same way and expect different results are suspect.
Instead of keeping on doing what she is doing, why not form a think tank to provide these ideas which she says are so lacking or a pressure group like JFJ to keep the govt on its toes. After all it is JA 1st no matter who does it; ISN’T IT

john mack
1/25/2012

socialism is the only thing that requires more socialism when it fails. Betty is being delusional at best and naive at worst, brilliant people have realized the best way to stay in power to feed people nonsense is to keep them uneducated and have their expectations low. Anyway i am sure more excuses will be forth coming by the socialist apologizers.

Chipmunk L.
1/24/2012

You could not have done better! The facts are there to make the case of stagnation in the thought process. I think we have allowed ourselves to stand idly by while the country falls into apathy. The young people graduating from the schools of higher learning seems only to care about being in the limited in crowd, partying and driving flashy cars and the latest bling.
We need people who are willing to push the envelope of education, business and forward thinking politics to improve life.

Karen Blight
1/24/2012

Miss Blaine where in this eloquently written piece is your idea... Why not take the time and platform you are given to outline your ideas instead of constantly oposing?

Jeffrey Thompson
1/24/2012

It is glaring that this country does not value education.The mentality of hustling over academics is acceptable by most.
Students from tertiary institutions should be first in line to promote education,but they are missing in action and silent.
How are we going to be prosperous as a country when education is not promoted sufficiently and many think it's fine not to give it priority.We are going to be sorry if this trend continues unabated.
Wake up from your slumbers.

N Manley Blythe
1/24/2012

There is no "poverty of ideas" Ms Blaine, there is in fact an abundance of corruption. As a result, people are turned off. Case in point, do you really believe that you have only one poster to your article? Really now! One? While the PNP supposed "controversy" item is closed?
So Ms Blaine, as leader of the New Nation Coalition, I have to ask you, have you started the war against corruption as yet? If not, please tell me why you haven't. Your answer will reveal all. Are you the revolution leader?

Noel Richards
1/24/2012

You are correct about the poverty of ideas. JA lacks honest, innovative and benignly selfish leadership. JA requires a leader with a selfishness that can't be satisfied by material goods, nor the attainment of political power. Enabling for and in every J'can the opportunity and desire to self-actualize will be the only gauge for success.
JA has failed with the JLPNP, but it will get a real chance to meet its true potential. JA is close to the turning point.

serendipity rapha124
1/24/2012

Well written article and true in all aspects explored. As a young person with the desire for challenging the status quo but often falling in the day -to -day rut of keeping afloat by “going with the flow”… like everyone one else this is inspiring! I’ll take from it the quote from the Prophet Muhammad, "If you see something wrong with the world, change it with your hands".

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The poverty of ideas and action