As human beings, we are free to choose what is advisable for us. This is what Savater insists on in his first chapter: De qué va la Etica.
We are free to fulfil our destiny as long as we are sure what we want for our lives. It depends on our force of will to achieve the aims we have in mind without disturbing other people's lives.
Being free to think critically is to get involved in what we believe is ethically correct.
But, what happens if we get involved?
Sometimes we want to be liked so as to belong to a group of people and we say "YES" when actually we really mean "NO". We do not want to run the risk of failing because we are afraid of not belonging to that group anymore. It is easier to keep our thoughts to ourselves than to speak our mind.
Although it is more difficult, as teachers, we have the opportunity to commit ourselves to working hard and leading our students to the correct path.
As Savater says,
Ethics is the art of
living.So, let's give it a try!!
8 comments:
We really need to give life a try!! Thoough it is difficult, it's not impossible. Nothing is if we REALLY want it to work. As you say, as teachers we have the chance to show or students the way. Sometimes it will be the right way, and others it will be "a" way, and they will have to see if it's right or wrong by experiencing...
Hi Gi...I completely agree on the fact that we may sometimes feel unconfortable with the choices we make just for the sake of "not disturbing the atmosphere". We have to try to speak our minds, no matter what the costs are, don´t you think? If not, we may reach a point where our thoughts are all pilled up, ready to explote!
We do have to help our students choose wisely, but.. which is really the correct path?
Hi Ro! Thanks for your comment! Let me tell you something! when I was a teenager I was always wondering "what is right and wrong". "Who said this is good or that is bad??!!" And I remember arguing with my mum about this when she told me what was convenient for me.
She used to do it and still does it! Now, I realize that she was showing me the correct path, the path that was convinient for me. And this is what I would like to try to do with my students...
do you agree?
Hi everybody!!!
I'm sorry to tell you that I'm not sure what's right and wrong now.... I doubt wether I can tell that to a student...
I' rather say that it's better to help them realize that there are always choises, and that choosing has positive and negative consequences always.
... just my viewpoint....
I LOVE YOU GIRLS!!!!!!!
Yohi :)
Hi Gi
I bellieve what you´ve pointed out as regards the fact that we sometimes don´t say what we really think just because we want to belong to a group, is really interesting. And that´s is very very very frequent among children and adolescents, so it would be good to guide and help them in the way we think best.Of course, as Lau said sometimes our choices on how we carry this out will be right and sometimes not so much...
First you say "we are free to choose", but then you talk about "fulfilling our destiny"... isn't this rather contradictory?
I definitely enjoyed reading your different voices on what makes a certain way "the right way"... After all, when we choose not to do something we'd like to do so that we can keep a group of friends, isn't this second choice "right" (preserving friendships, I mean)?
Eager to keep hearing from you all,
Gladys
PS: son we'll be discussing the "rule of double effect". Who said life was easy? ;-)
Hi Gla! Maybe you are right...or maybe I don't explain my thoughts as I would like to...
Maybe in my family there are pre-set rules and those (I think) are the truth for me. I've wondered so many times why I have to do this if I do not feel ok, and my mother answered: "because I am your mother! so, she finished the conversation there.
that's why I write as if the only way is MY way... but, I do not believe that's true. this is my way, and for others will be in the other way about.
Believe me that I know that other people can think different!
Thinking about this, I've realized that when some people cannot think like me, I feel that they cannot belong to my group of people. I do not know if it's good or bad, maybe good for me and bad for others...
you are right,there are things that I cannot teach to my students...
Thanks for making me think and reflect on things that I have to change, maybe...
Thanks for your attitude and commitment, Giyo! It's a pleasure to read your blog. Believe me, you're making me think a lot too! ;-)
This idea you mention which seems quite tough for you is known as "tolerance of diversity" (and sometimes as "celebration of diversity"). Do you think this can be taught? If so, how important / desirable would it be to teach it in today's world?
Happy blogging!
Gladys
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