Towards Voluntaryism (Part 15)
2.11. Education: Curriculum Suggestions
Towards Voluntaryism (Part 15)
Curriculum Suggestions
A new curriculum should enable critical competencies and knowledge sets in areas that explore the logical and rational practicality of maximizing individual freedom and limiting coercive collectivist governments. The themes focused on below could be introduced to the universities as a requirement for all degree programs, especially the schools of education that train teachers who are to be employed in the public education sector and thus responsible for the next generations of Americans.
I am convinced that a firm grasp of the thematic areas to follow would convince anyone, based on practical real world examples, that coercive collectivism has been the most harmful and hateful ideology in the history of mankind. If we postulate that society should be beneficial and loving, it is virtually impossible to come to any other conclusion than it must be voluntary, meritocratic and altruistic.
A. Critical Thinking, Logic and the Scientific Method
Students must be capable of recognizing empirically valid arguments and distinguishing between arguments based on facts and reason and those based on emotions and wishful thinking. If students are not capable of identifying, understanding and executing logical arguments within an academic setting, they have literally zero justification to hold a degree that claims they are trained academics, especially in the liberal arts and sciences. This is accompanied by the consideration that a firm understanding of the scientific method is absolutely critical for being able to evaluate the legitimacy of academic studies and research projects. Further, a firm foundation in logic and the scientific method enables the individual to more easily distinguish between belief-based arguments and actual evidence and makes them less susceptible to the media's propaganda.
B. Rational Debate and Strategies of Peaceful Conflict Resolution
Basic debating skills and civil communication strategies are notably absent on college campuses at this time. The inability to listen to and evaluate the arguments of others dispassionately completely negates the possibility of rational debate and peaceful conflict resolution. By fostering the skills necessary to debate with acumen and not emotional outrage, the current irrational public discourse can be tempered over time by an educated citizenry. View this example of epic debate failure deemed a prize-winning example of excellence and an article addressing debate "culture" at the collegiate level. If oratory and debate skills are taught at this level of incompetence currently, it is no wonder the country - and increasingly the world - is in such a mess.
C. Comparative Political Philosophy and Organizational Principles for Human Society
An overview of the various political philosophies and organizational principles, as well as their historical contexts and the governmental forms they gave rise to should be mandatory for any group that wants to achieve a voluntaryist society free of coercive collectivism. The history of human civilization has lurched from one failed empire or political structure to the next by repeatedly falling prey to the tyranny of both minorities and majorities. Historical awareness is absolutely necessary so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
D. Comparative Governmental History
An overview of historical models of governance replete with examples of the successes and failures of each form of governance should be mandatory. Engaged, responsible and informed members of society must also be well-versed in various organizational principles for regulating human society so that they are capable of deciding what is best for their communities and for the maximum number of individuals possible. Coercive collectivism relies on excluding the conveyance of viable modes of self-regulation and voluntary cooperation from the educational environment, this must be remedied.
E. Use and Abuse of Mechanisms of Social and Political Control
The use and abuse of social and political control mechanisms, from social demagoguery, government disinformation and propaganda to corporate social media manipulation, lobbying and overt violence, awareness of how the state and special interest groups manipulate the masses is necessary for a resilient and self-determining population. Only by being aware of such abuse of power and authority can the citizenry protect itself from demagogues and the siren call of of the coercive collectivism promoting plutocrats.
F. History of Warfare and Democide (The Pathology of Coercive Collectivism)
The greatest force of violence, destruction and ruin in human civilization is and has always been collectivists organizing large scale violence in the form of organized militant forces and their instrumentalization to achieve the subjugation of entire populations. Tragically, collectivist governments all too often turn their potential for violence against their own subjects. The nonsensical nature of allowing governments to create large-scale offensively oriented militaries must be understood as a pathological form of coercive collectivism/sociopathy/psychopathy.
G. History of Criminal and Antisocial Behavior
A historical review of criminal and antisocial behavior (especially by occupants of government office) is necessary for the population to understand that no matter how advantageous a collectivist social order may appear to be in theory, they are all subject to human fallibility and corruption. The greatest criminals and mass murderers in history have inevitably been (and will in the future be) the leaders of powerful centralized collectivist systems (Stalin, Mao, Hitler etc.). All too often, government agents craft, enact and enforce laws or regulations that they are not subject to (insider tradinganyone?) or they are exempted themselves from (which has enabled an unending list of crimes against humanity). An overview of this material can promote the understanding that centralized government and its agents must be the most restricted, limited, policed and draconically punished of any group that constitutes a social order.
H. Economics and History of Monetary Systems
Not one person in a hundred understands the monetary system or know what private central banking really means. Without understanding what money is or how the monetary system operates the population cannot understand that they are held hostage in a system of indentured servitude enforced by violence and run by non-elected, sociopathic kleptocrats who have completely subverted the free market and substituted private currency issued at interest for sound money by corrupting government. Tragically, even bank employees rarely understand that they work in an industry that, in its current manifestation, makes them little better than slave traders; their moral culpability can only be defrayed by assuming their profound ignorance.
I. Freedom, Individual Rights and Responsibilities
The peaceful and effective functioning of society is dependent upon each individual accepting responsibility for their own actions and how these actions affect others. Coercively restricting the rights of others can only invite reciprocal attempts at subjugation, which ultimately unravels the social fabric. The individual is the foundational element of society and thus upholding individual rights is the fundamental criteria for ensuring a peaceful and Voluntaryist society. A historical overview of how these principles influenced the development of societies around the world would be beneficial .
J. The United States Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights
The United States of America has (or once had) the greatest potential for achieving a Voluntaryist form of societal organization and governance in the world. The ability to live as free men who need not fear the collectivist mob has however steadily declined as the world's once smallest government has become the world's largest. Fortunately, the framework of that smallest government - which was neither small enough nor limited enough by far - has been preserved in the foundational documents: The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. A firm understanding of these documents is necessary for any American citizen to be able to exercise their rights and responsibilities to keep themselves and their fellow man free from coercive collectivism and tyranny.
Next: Towards Voluntaryism (Part 16) - 2.12. Education - Conclusion
What else should be part of a curriculum designed to encourage Voluntaryism as a social and political order? Contribute your ideas in the comments below.
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