A victim of Education

Looking back at my life, I was a victim of education. And I rebelled. And came outside the education system to create for myself an environment in which I could explore who I am in what I do.

I rebelled against what I call the “do duni chaar” education system.

True creative endeavour in any field comes out of creating an environment in which you discover yourself in what you do. And for that you need a right brain/left brain combination. In the future the students with the maximum potential and therefore maximum contribution to society will be the ones that are not subdued by a system which forces them to live in silo’s of imposed specialisation.

Nothing destroys creativity more than that. The specialisation must come out of a ‘silo-less’ education system..

Which in turn must translate into the way we organise our work places. Our organisations.

The defined line between where education ends and work life begins must become much more fuzzy. .. the sudden need to squeeze yourself into a defined silo in your work place will lead to frustration and huge attrition within organisations. And lets face it .. the Indian Corporate sector and Non corporate sector both, barring few, is still pretty feudal.

How do we teach our students to rebel against what is, in search of what might be? For that is a fundamental driver of creativity. And then how do we continue to give these students the same latitude as they join Organisations, so that they are able to create a greater and a more creative society in their work/play life ?.

Economic Growth as defined now often is not the best term to look at our future .. I see the future as a growth in Creative Cultures that in turn lead to economic and inclusive growth.

That’s what technology and the digital world is enabling us to do now ..

9 thoughts on “A victim of Education

  1. Sir,

    Your article rightly points out at creative freedom every child should have in growing up. I believe along with kids parents also need to understand this fact. I have seen many examples where parents not motivating children towards creative freedom but solely focusing on grades and ranks.
    I hope both Parent-Children will rebel the regulated mode of education and explore new ways with open mind.

    Thank you again for this article.

    Mahesh Hooli

  2. I totally agree with what you have written. The so called education system, does not let you find yourself in most cases, it is a one way process of feeding kids with information and evaluating them on memory. Which leaves no room for creativity. If Newton was sitting in a class and not under the tree he would have never let his imagination go so far. We are all victims of it.

  3. Dear Mr. Shekhar Kapur,

    I read your post today early in the morning.
    I liked it.
    I also fully endorse the thoughts of expression written by you within the post.
    I am resharing your post again and while resharing, I am also sharing my own experience taken in Indian education system.

    Regards,
    Phadke S M N
    Humble and Kind Member of http://www.goodcrooks.in

    Here is the link FYI ~ https://medium.com/@SNPhadke/a-victim-of-education-an-expression-of-thought-written-by-mr-shekhar-kapur-5c490c6d830f

  4. Pranaam Shekhar ji
    It’s a wonderful read and great thought. As always. inspiring… “How do we teach our students to rebel against what is, in search of what might be? For that is a fundamental driver of creativity.”
    Creative work in any field often passes through typical phases. Sometimes what you end up with is not what you had in mind when you started. It’s a dynamic process that often involves making new connections, crossing disciplines and using metaphors and analogies. Creativity is about fresh thinking. ‘Provoke, listen, respond’… This process provides the teacher with a strong sense of where the children are ‘at’ with their learning; their developmental level – both academically and emotionally.
    Thanks for sharing Shekhar ji
    Regards
    Surabhi

  5. You might enjoy the following;
    “Ken Robinson’s TED talk from 2006, “How Schools Kill Creativity.” At over 32 million views, it is currently the most viewed of all TED talks from around the world”.
    Once the Slave mentality comes out of Indian youth’s mind and from the minds of educators there will be abundance of CREATIVITY!
    With Regards and Smiles,
    Jassi
    HAPPINESS!

  6. Indeed the best mind. I always have a fear factor that we may overcome some of the best economies in the world leaving behind our education system in a state where it is just maintained. Why lawmakers in the country think economic growth in isolation. I hope they are knocked.

  7. Oh yes ! One fell into a worse situation in college. You either chose Science or Liberal Arts with no option to change either side. Its like being tied into a straitjacket.
    Back in my days, there were no advisers or counselors to help you understand the long term course structures one needed to go through. I wasted my parent’s hard earned money in degrees that have no relation to my work.
    I am also one of many who work to earn living wages. So there is very little energy left for anything else except for the TV remote or the smart phone screen !
    That is how people go through life..at least some of us…up early, commute, work, return home, work at home, raise the kids, work some more to have them go into the same system you are complaining about….then one day its just you and life passed you by !
    I used to look at ants in the yard all in straight lines going about whatever business they had..almost noone moving away into a new path… now I am frequently reminded of those ants. Same pattern morning till night just that I look different from the ant. Its an ant’s life ! Predestined by the system !

  8. Respected Sir,

    Creative world for me have always been a pious place ..a place to dedicate ..
    But this harsh reality of education system cant be escaped at the same time. Unwillingly We have to surrender to the education system of the schools. Kids get crushed undee the unbearable load of home work..
    As a lecturer me too have to go by the syllabus in limited amt. of time.

    My father a successful retired Principal from govt. college preaches me to follow reality rather than living in the fantasies of creativity.

    Still i worship the power of art nd positive creativity… But at the same time ..have to accept nd live according to rules reality of life imposes on us.

  9. A fine argument sir.
    But a SYSTEM is something that gives you the sense of being “out of the system”.

    What if a so called perfect system where expression is the greatest form of appreciation exists, and in that existence, we still end up craving for another out of the box system…

    The most primal trait of a human is to evolve. So if there is no system there can be no out-of-the-system-experience in turn no evolution. Along with this, there is also a possibility of never understanding what you truly desire if you don’t have a certain set of rules that you feel ‘must be broken.’

    I mean no disrespect, this is just an insignificant man’s opinion.

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