We, the In-Gwan-Ja-Wa ?

Today I heard a story from my lovely African friend about a public well known educated man, who, after raping a HIV positive girl, saying “It’s ok, I took a shower afterward.” :) She questioned whether education makes a person wise enough not to do the things that should not be done.
There are so many points we can critique about that case such as; the quality, level and depth of the education that man got but those are not my points today. My point is that her question provoked my once thinking of “what is the purpose of Education?”

Once in another class, when professor was asking whether education will make people think rationally, I said that when people are more educated, their thoughts will become more or less similar toward betterment of the mass public. My argument was confronted with several counter arguments by some of the class mates including the professor self. They simply argued, “You can’t say that because education can’t always make a person think more rationally.” It is true, and because I know it is true, I was honestly so frustrated then.

But afterward, when I asked what the word “education” meant, the answer turned out to be the years of schooling and achievements on any subject. Then, I instantly knew we have different definitions of “education.” And I instantly remembered my grand father once remarked, “No use of getting so much education, you’re going to be a servant of others.” Of course, we defended that idea then and I am even here continuing my educational journey. What is all about my education, my school years, to serve others? Wait a minute, I still have my defenses.

First of all, before I show my defense statements, I will have to confirm some of my pre-assumptions about being a servant of others;
I believe, serving others means helping broader people for development (for me at least), sharing thoughts and idea, contribution own expertise for betterment of the society(s). Moreover, it is a merit what an educated person can do while he or she is earning for own life.
So I defended my grand father with the idea of “the money the educated person earns is the same value that a business man does. We are getting what we sown.”

Moreover, the definition of education for me does not end there as it is definitely not only to earn money. I grew up with pro-educational support that the more a person is educated, the more she or he should become wise about life, realizing own nature and the world’s. Education on any subject or any skill when you think enough will provide you the data and information, from which you build own intelligence and develop your own wisdom about life, what you should do and shouldn’t do in it, thinking about other people. And that is the base of my argument on the purpose of Education.

Think about Albert Einstein, about the nuclear fission, and his stand point on the issue. He was the greatest at the subject. He was the league in the invention but he refused and stood against using it as a weapon. That is my point. You can learn knowledge, gather information, and acquired intelligence but, at the end of the day, you are the one who have to make decision where and for what to use those expertise you acquired.

Those decisions should come with wisdom for which the modern education is obviously failing to provide an environment to develop. Thus in practice, there can be seriously clever and skillful persons among us but without enough thinking or without enough time to think how to use what we get. The most dangerous of all, after all those schooling years and hard works, most of us became to believe we are superior than others, knowing enough about the world and good enough to make decisions on behalf of others. Is it true? Can it be true?

And again, even in specialized subjects, we use to differentiate the rank between Science and Art, and always debating which one is superior. Scientists say art is subjective thus cannot bring out the truth, and Art says science fails to understand the complicated nature of humans.

My stand, of course, I strongly see, as long as we cannot combine science and art in proper proportion, such education system will be a fault. I see science without art, and the art without science will never provide a person a holistic view, moderating his or her ability to develop wisdom from the things he or she learns. And such educated person becomes a dangerous one, an In-gwan-ja-wa what I want to name here.

The name is from one of Myanmar folk tales. Specifically Ka-chin folks told it. A giant boy named In-gwan-ja-wa became a threat to his tribe unintentionally. Simply because he was bigger, and stronger than any other one in the village, but with very little brain and his stupidities cost villagers’ lives including his own mother’s. The villagers had to plot against him to his death.

Originally, the tale emphasized on the bad jealous of the villagers but, I could also see the point of why he actually became a threat to his society. Had he wise enough, he would know how to handle all those jealous. He should know that greater power should come with greater responsibilities. But at the end, he had to die, when the wind bequeathed his breath and the water bequeathed his tears (nature’s uncontrollable two powers as you can notice). Sad story it was, but with vivid wisdom inside.

Modern education provides us doctors, pharmacists, dentists, engineers, biologists, nuclear experts, the psychologists, historians, the linguistics and more of such endless expertise professionals who are like very sharp edged swords. Yet the system is lagging behind to provide the proper ways of using such swords.

The last but not least, in practical life, only the market mechanism seems of using such swords for its purpose. Then, the question is, will the market mechanism provide the better ways of using those valuable assets? Is the Invisible Hand such wise? Well, obviously and sadly "it cannot", as my African friend pointed out today, the HIV drugs for Africa is still hopeless in that sense and that was only one of many cases happening around the world nowadays.

Then this is so dangerous and who are responsible to recognize and amend this danger? What about integrity, ethic and humanity? Can't they be developed under Market? Are they to be re-developed only under rules and regulations? I see simple those necessary rules and regulations should come out from our own wisdom. Is it so difficult to do? So, without the wisdom of how to use what we learn, we will be the In-gwan-ja-wa(s) in our society(s).