Importance
of Education
“The Function of
Education” written by Jiddu Krishnamurti is an article on the basic principles
and functions of an education. Jiddu
opens the article with two different possibilities of why we are attending
school to get an education. He questions
if education is only to “pass examinations and get a job” or to “understand the
whole process of life?” I believe that
we receive an education mainly to make a living for ourselves. Then after we receive that education, we can
apply it to daily life situations such as knowing how to properly count and to
make sure we communicate correctly and efficiently.
The importance of
education is stressed throughout my family.
My parents believe that you can only get a job with a bachelor’s or
higher. Being raised in a family of 5 as
the oldest and also being the 1st generation born here in America,
my parents had different moral values while coming to America. They were very disciplined, and their way of
thinking was very old-fashion and right to the point. I truly believe that without and education,
your understanding of life would be very limited. As Jiddu quotes, ”but if you are frightened
you will never be intelligent.” By him
saying that, he means that we as students must not be restricted, and we must
take upon ourselves to think outside the box and to “free our minds.”
Education can be
passed on from teachers, parents, etc.
However to be educated by someone else and just receive information,
rather not ponder about it is living in fear.
Jiddu quotes, “It is very easy to conform to what your society or your
parents and teachers tell you.” Anyone
can just listen to what is being taught by another individual and choose what
they want to keep and what to not hold on to.
However Jiddu explains “To live is to find out for yourself what is
true, and you can do this only when there is freedom, when there is continuous
revolution inwardly, within yourself.” I
find this statement to be very true because I have experienced it first hand. Being independent can free you from society’s
way of thinking and when you go out and experience and learn things first hand
from experience that is true freedom.
Jiddu goes on to
explain that the world is a place of fear, a place of people always competing
or going against each other. He says, “We
must create it, because we see that the world is caught up in endless
wars.” By creating a society that does
not live in fear, we can change society and most importantly bring everyone
together. With unity comes strength and
power, while distinction can lead to downfall or chaos. Jiddu stresses the differences between
conforming to society and being free from it.
Being free will lead to a different society. As we become free we “create immediately an atmosphere
of freedom so that you can live and find out for yourselves what is true…” There is chaos going on throughout the world
right now due to nations wanting to be better than each other and always
competing for the top spot.
With education,
people either have two options. The
first option may be to use it just to conform to society’s rules and follow the
agenda. The second option, is to use
education and free yourself from society’s ways by accepting the challenge to
change and make society better. One of
my favorite quotes throughout the whole article was “Life itself is your
teacher, and you are in a state of constant learning…” With that being said, we as people and a society should utilize all
of our education that we have received and
use it to make the world a better place.
Lots of strong opinions and observations in here that you can use in an essay!
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