at the time i originally posted this, i had just begun reading paulo freire's "pedagogy of the oppressed".. after reading the entire book, i realized how relevant his discussion of oppressed society is to my own thesis about education..

he talks about how the oppressor uses the institution of education to socialize, pacify, and indoctrinate the oppressed to accept their plight.. he says that educational systems in these societies utilize "banking educational methods".. basically, we students (oppressed) are banks, which the teacher (oppressor) deposits information into.. we memorize, record, and then regurgiate without ever REALLY learning..

the alternative method is "problem-posing education" or critical-conciousness.. this is carried out through dialogical engagement between professor and student, without a hiearchy of authority and knowledge.. it is a social environment as opposed to a bureaucratic, repressive one...

read this book.. shit totally echoed what i've been feelin lately.. plus, the other stuff he talks about is right on.. he quotes marx, lenin and mao left and right, but also makes arguments against marxists.. for example, marxists are sectarian fanatics becuz most believe in a preordained future (the revolution will occur when the time is right), instead of taking positive action to bring about the revolution...

peace
liveiLL