cameron/colby

As I round out my career as a subject of formal education, I have been doing some reflecting back with regards to my childhood and educational experience.  I have some conflicting feelings about the nature of education, and on a bad day I can be plain John Taylor Gatto.

So where do I look for advice on such matters?  Why, theoretical physicists, of course.  I spent the last few hours reading on David Deutsch's co-brainchild Taking Children Seriously.  While it sounds a little "sissy libertarian" on the surface, I admit, I'm intrigued by some of the concepts.  It reminds me of the Love and Logic approach currently favored by a friend and elementary educator.

I'm a big fan of introducing personal responsibility and self-accountability at an early age.  The earlier you start learning your own lessons and creating your own moral compass, the better.  Likewise, I prefer authentic and transparent leadership and all the other warm and fuzzy stuff.

(Please, nobody notice that I'm drawing similarities between leading a successful company, and developing a relationship with my future child.)

Above are a few photos from a recent China trip.On the other hand, when the time comes to not ask questions and to not screw around, there has to be an understanding.  Joe Pesci does not fuck around.  Sometimes life isn't fair, sometimes things are out of your control, and in real life, the main character sometimes dies...of cholera.  I support warm and fuzzy, but only to the extent that it does not interfere with an accurate understanding of human reality; of entropy, resiliency and being tough.  It's a fine line, and I think it requires a bit of Buddhist wisdom, a bit of doing mysterious things that just don't make sense to your kid.  Throw in some Johnny Cash to temper the Judeo-Christian social values, and the new-age empathy system.  Fine, I don't know anything about raising children.

But rest assured, mine will be sweet.