Everybody Is a Genius
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
Albert Einstein
I dare to claim that in the traditional education system, this is exactly what we do. We judge the fish by its ability to climb a tree. Let me explain.
Did you know that IQ TESTS measure only about 2 out of the 7 actual types of intelligence? Yes, in case you did not know that, there is 7 different types of intelligence ( Linguistic, Logical-mathematical, Musical, Bodily-kinesthetic, Spatial, Interpersonal and Intrapersonal) which means you most probably are much more of a genius than you might have thought.
“The only difference between the preacher and the thief is the environment they’re reared in.”
Jacque Fresco
Psychology tells us that children are like a sponge. Our personality is very much formed based on outside influences. That means that we most likely build our self worth and sense of success based on our school results. Well, how much self worth and sense of success do you think you get as a fish when you simply cannot climb that tree and nobody gives a value to what an excellent swimmer you are? In other words, if you are a child who does not learn well in the traditional standardised way and has different talents than the ones which are put on a pedestal in a traditional edcuation, you most likely will grow up thinking that you are stupid.
"When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down 'happy'. They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life."
John Lennon
Why does nobody teach us how to live well? What nutrition is good for what kind of person? Because believe me, we are not all the same and what food can be considered healthy for one does not have to necessarily be that healthy for another. The Truth is truly relative in this sense. According to Ayurveda, which literary means (Ayur- life and Veda- knowledge) there are 3 body-mind types and each requires a different approach to nutrition.
Someone once asked the Buddha skeptically, “What have you gained through meditation?”
The Buddha replied, “Nothing at all.”
“Let me tell you what I lost through meditation: sickness, anger, depression, insecurity, the burden of old age, the fear of death…”
Why aren’t we taught how to communicate well? Communication is one of the basic factors of every healthy relationship. And wherever there’s a lack of it there will come problems in time.
Why does nobody teach us how to know thyself? How to love ourselves? How to cope with anxiety and stress?
How to think critically or problem solve? And why do we drill so much information which can be googled in seconds... Why is individuality so suppressed in today’s society?
“No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn't know it.”
Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
I am a fan of alternative approaches to education. We have so much to learn from them.
I dream of an education of new age. An academy of life where communication, problem solving, critical thinking, nutrition and meditation would be taught. With a target to make a competent, happy, and a content human being. Where individuality would be celebrated and where uniqueness would thrive. Where there’s emphasis on individuality, competitiveness dissolves. And where competitiveness dissolves, there’s peace. And where there’s peace, there’s harmony.
So, do you think if education as described above were to become mainstream education, would the world result in the same chaos, disease, wars and suffering as we know it today? I will let you answer that question for yourself.
I believe that a true teacher should not be the one who just evaluates your ability to stand up to a certain standard, rather a person who helps you to discover the genius in you, your passion… and helps you grow in the way the most suitable to your individuality because everybody is a genius.
May all be happy and free
Johana