Savings over Solidarity

Another day, another blog post, another discussion of the American education system, because I’ve somehow become obsessive about the topic after reading this book.

Thanks Chomsky.

But really, I appreciate the validation of some ideas that had briefly passed my mind many times in the past. Public schools get attacked, education is constructed in a way that builds up memorization more than actual learning and development of skills, and kids are drugged up to increase their performance like body-builders trying to increase their muscle mass. And of course any children who can’t meet the standards are funneled into lower level jobs because that’s all anyone believes they can accomplish.

So here we are now in Chapter 5, talking about solidarity in relation to public education. Chomsky asserts that “We see it in the attack on public schools. Public schools are based on the principle of solidarity.” (66). In other words, public schools are run on the principle of caring for others, since public schools are run by government funding, which is derived from taxes on citizenry. When people pay their taxes, they fuel public schools so children can continue to get their education. But, unfortunately, the idea of solidarity is not ingrained in the mind of every tax payer, so America ends up with a group that supports privatization of education so that they don’t have to pay taxes to fuel kids that aren’t their own.

There’s a loss of certain human emotions that leads people to have these self-centered ideas. “I don’t have kids in public schools so my tax money shouldn’t go to public schools.” This is the sentiment that has begun to develop, according to Chomsky (no those are not his words but this is the basic idea).

Since education is such a major aspect of the American Dream which Chomsky seems to believe is dead or dying, the knowledge that it’s come under attack in recent years reflects pretty negatively on the dream. Using examples, rhetorical questions, and clever implementation of irony, he puts emphasis and support into the idea that public education, and in a larger scope the American Dream, are being attacked.

Through exemplification on page 66, Chomsky creates a sort of pathos appeal by drawing out feelings of anger, frustration, even betrayal for some. With the hypothetical american perspective presented, where an average citizen suddenly thinks ‘“I don’t have kids in school. Why should I pay taxes? Privatize it,”’ (66), youths who have just come out of that school system or are still in that school system would likely be hurt by such thoughts.

I mean, how could they not care about our education? They’re just so selfish, aren’t they?

And how about that ending statement, “That’s one of the jewels of America.” (67). How ironic that a growing wish for privatization of education to cut down some taxes would be likened to a jewel. A precious gem. Something that should bring thoughts of beauty to our minds.

Gotta love irony and sarcasm!

And so our passions are ignited; passions for a system of solidarity, of selflessness and support for our fellow man. Our eyes are opened to the brokenness of the current system and we find ourselves wishing for a solution. By creating these emotional appeals and drawing out hidden sentiment Chomsky garners support for this claim. 

After all, who wouldn’t agree with something after becoming so emotional about it?