[avant-garde]

Can Indoctrination Be Used In A Constructive Manner?


The philosophy of individualism fully blossomed in the second half of the 20th century. One of the many pro's of individualism was the freedom to choose the "right" value systems for oneself. However, the advent of moral diversity (coupled with geographic mobility) clearly had its social consequences, one of them being much greater loneliness. This was never a problem until religious bonds came under attack as well.

Nowadays, it's somewhat harder for people to connect and maintain bonds. Aside from geographic mobility, there are just too many different value systems floating around, and thus it's difficult to forge quality social bonds. It seems that society is more about quantity these days over quality. Even in the realm of value systems. The more value systems you have in your society, the better (yeah, right). And also, it seems that many young adults these days haven't been taught any kind of values at all, other than the consumption of goods and sex. Commitment, the core of creating vibrant social communities, has already become a value of the past.

Should the government take a role in indoctrinating a standard, non-religious value system in order to create a more integrated society? Although there are many pro's to individualism, it seems that (assuming the sampling procedures were effective), people are generally less satisfied and less trustful of others than they once used to be. So a utilitarian would possibly claim that the choices provided for us by individualism and consumerism are worse for our well-being. Perhaps an indoctrinated (and educated) democracy would be the best step towards harmony.

What does the Soompi community think about this issue?

[cavil.]

Go read L'Assommoir and come back to us with the answer.

[PoppinBC]

less government is more. Indoctrination is the first step to many potential, massive issues. To imply the government should take on a role like that is to ask for a world like in '1984'. If you haven't read that book, get cracking, and see what mass indoctrination can do.

It is up to people to find happiness and companionship for themselves. It's not the job of anyone else; to think the government should take steps to essentially pacify the populace is dangerous.

[beamonkr]

Can Indoctrination Be Used In A Constructive Manner?

Should the government take a role in indoctrinating a standard, non-religious value system in order to create a more integrated society? Although there are many pro's to individualism, it seems that (assuming the sampling procedures were effective), people are generally less satisfied and less trustful of others than they once used to be. So a utilitarian would possibly claim that the choices provided for us by individualism and consumerism are worse for our well-being. Perhaps an indoctrinated (and educated) democracy would be the best step towards harmony.

What does the Soompi community think about this issue?

Indoctrination can be a good thing if you're talking about a small part of society. My son goes to an all boys Jesuit prep school. When he entered as a freshman, he as well as all of the freshman underwent an initial week-long indoctrination where they stayed at the school and learned the school's value system. This was a good thing as the school's motto is "whatever hurts my brother, hurts me". The school has no locks on its lockers as stealing is not tolerated, the younger students are required to address older students by their last names with the appropriate prefix. The school is open to the students 24 hours and many have gone on to prominent colleges and business industry. Many of the students continue to contribute time and money upon graduation. In this instance, indoctrination was a good thing.

However, I don't think any giovernment should be responsible for indoctrinating it's citizens. People should be allowed to make decisions for themselves. The problems with society can not be fixed by an all-powerful "big brother". If nothing else, history has taught us that this road leads dictatorship and oppression. The question I ask is who within the government decides the importance of which values and would we not then be at the mercy of someone else's set of values? The process by which individualism and commercialism begins within the home. If you grow up in a home where you are more concerned about what your neighbor has then it's a high probability that you will grow up that way as well, because it is your norm. Likewise if you grow up in a household where community and family are important that becomes your norm. We don't need the government to indoctrinate us, we need to begin the indoctrination ourselves in our own families.