Usually, over here, whenever a group of people do things we don't agree with, the people who think of themselves as being educated would say, "We must educate them!" or, "They need more education!"
What they're really saying is this:
"If you people are educated enough, you will say that I am right. You will think that I am right, hence, through your judgment, I will be right."
That's pretty...arrogant. Judgment!
The powers from Europe came here several hundred years ago, bearing a burden to teach Christianity and several aspects of civilisation to these Eastern savages.
They believed that education is the key to everyone agreeing with them.
So fragile is the faith, when a religion - any religion, belief or whatever - needs the spending of billions just to get other people to agree with them.
And frail is the religion when it is merely used as a crutch, a reason, an excuse, to get land and money.
Education is not fool-proof.
Here are some things I learned in school. I retain 70% of what was taught in school, though I have no control over what I remember and what I forget:
1. Abu Talib, Muhammad S.A.W's good uncle, remained a non-Muslim till his death. I asked my Ustaz, what is to be of him? He was a non-Muslim, yet no other person stood by him more loyally.
The answer? The prophet Muhammad covered Abu Talib's entire body with his saliva, as Muhammad's body parts will never be touched by the fires of Hell.
I was like, what the fuck? This means that Muhammad licked Abu Talib's balls? Not to mention tossed his salad or something. Holy Shit. Literally.
Not to mention, how long can saliva remain on the skin? And...Muhammad is gay? An incestuous homo-necrophiliac? WHat the fuck? I don't agree with that.
This alone gave me enough doubt about education and educators. I have always been suspicious of the things people teach us. Because they are people, so they are not perfect.
I come from a family of teachers. Most of them now work in the education ministry. Heard the problems.
Education is, at best, a tool to help, but not the be-all and end-all of solutions.
Putting everything on the shoulders of education is the easy way out. A dismissive gesture.
"These people are poor! You know what they need? They need education!"
And yet, Prof Diraja Ungku Aziz, the most educated man in Malaysia, said that what they need FIRST is food. How can you get an education when you're hungry and cold?
"These people rob other people! Know what they need? Education!"
Somewhere, in a maximum security prison,
"Repeat after me: robbing, bad. Working, good."
"Robbing, bad. Working, good."
"You're cured!"
Really?
"If you're educated enough, like ME, you'll agree with ME."
That's the fucking ego right there.
I have met people with the same level of education as I have, and they don't agree with me. I have met people way more educated than me, and they don't agree with me, or even their peers.
It is not education that is the problem. The problem is you. It has always been you, all of it, you. You, and your ego.
Think about that before you blame education. You might still do, but here's me, my ego, educating yours.
