Cartoon 695: Out the box

It goes without saying that I frequently violate the panel rules of cartoons by having more than ten words.  It is some times extremely difficult to get across a concept in those few words. This cartoon violates the rule more than most.

There is a saying, “outside the box”.  What it means is to think or act in a none traditional manner.  Successful education in America is a situation that requires new and maybe novel solutions.  Americans have fallen significantly behind many of the other countries in the world in basic education skills. The causalities are analytical, math and language skills.

The problem with American education is culture.  The pervasive culture perpetrated by the media is self defeating in the nurturing and developing of young people. The dysfunctional nature includes most everything, even diet. It is the culture that is the key factor that is sinking the nation. This culture makes a mockery of democracy.  Democracy, in order to be effective, requires an alert and intelligent populace. One easy swayed by every wind of doctrine or lacking personal discipline can be too easily seduced and give rise to demigods. Their actions are disadvantageous.

Things have not always been this way.  Several generations ago it was the primary and extended families that provided the guidance and motivation of youths. It was not the triumvirate nannies of television, music and movies.  There was a partnership between the primary and extended family and the public education system.  They were on one accord in terms of youth development. Today society has been so decimated, that for many classes, life has been turned in to a moment to moment test of survival. Deferred gratification and sacrifices for strategic positioning is beyond the pale.

There is a solution, abet a novel one. If you think outside the box, you realize there is an institution in America that has grappled with this problem for 200 years. It has been successful taking disparate individuals molding, shaping and training them. People seldom consciously realize the military is all about acculturation and education. We typically only focus on one resulting attribute, discipline. The one thing you cannot have is a dumb soldier who can not learn or fit in. The military has learned the keys to motivation and using peer pressure to advantage. It teaches remedial education skills when necessary and fosters a program of ongoing self education. It marries all of this with physical development.

A military approach to our education problem might be just the answer. A gymnasium form of education administered by the military people specifically accomplished in the type of required training would be required. This approach would have to start as early as possible. If not pre-school, then no later than elementary school. Once inoculated, the gymnasium culture would be self perpetuating and over shadow the dysfunctional elements in society.