SUMMARY
and References
What are the key points of the discourse?
Why have I identified 'a new morality'?
For no other reason than that, as the discourse unfolded, it became increasingly clear that I am talking about how people 'ought to', how
they should behave, rather than how they do behave. For example, I and others may agree that we should 'care and share', but many
others are busy killing each other, generation by generation. Furthermore, it is not enough to care and share locally, we are in situations
where it is important to be 'global': In 2005, Mary E. Clark described this as a 'global-community psychology'. I may argue for 'open
education', and the Institute of Democratic Education may argue for democratic schools, but the evidence is that most governments control
teachers and teaching in schools by means of 'national curriculum': closed systems.
The arguments developed so far in this discourse are based on the following propositions:
For our survival, we depend completely on others, from the cradle to the grave.
Our sense of individual freedom comes from our social interdependence, and is best regarded as a ‘Social Freedom’.
Individual Independence is a psychological myth which leads us to reject others, and to treat them as objects, that are to be used for 'my
aggrandisement' and personal profit. This 'myth' is at the root of the exploitation of others.
Social interdependence indicates that we survive together.
Social interdependence is a social fact.
Social freedom arises from the cooperation of the many in the interests of the many in communities of equals.
Social interdependence and social freedom give us the moral imperative to 'care and share' for others.
Social Ecology proposes that ‘nature’ and ‘humans’ are interdependent and interactive.
Social Epistemology recognises that knowledge is ‘a posteriori’, and is socially mediated.
Education is social interactive learning, and the learner is actively involved with others.
Education should be based on ‘social ecology’ whereby knowledge is discovered, and problems investigated, and learning achieved by
interactive communities of humans in nature.
We have to think about the implications of a “quantum world”, in which objects may seem solid, but are collections of atoms; of genetic
networks, in which genes are not simply ‘selfish’, but are social and altruistic; a sustainable world in which plants, animals, and humans
are totally interdependent; and where conservation and development can ‘save nature and reduce poverty’; and reject the unsustainable
world of our present capitalist elitist lifestyles, which lead to great inequalities, 'oceans of poverty', resource depletion, pollution, climate
change, and extreme weather events: a world in which 6 billion humans live in relative poverty, and a minority live in luxury.
Individuals need to accept the significance of their interdependence and dependence; and that they are interconnected as parts of
social networks and ecological networks; and in order to survive, they must think and act locally and globally, forming global communities
of learners.
‘Gemeinschaft’ reminds us that social bonds > social freedom > social interaction > social interdependence. The resolution of the constant
conflicts between local communities underlines the importance of being ‘local and global’.
The peacemakers advise us to see ‘unity in diversity’, to respect diversity, and adopt ‘multicultural approaches’ in order to undertake our
universal responsibilities for other humans, plants and animals.
Social Ecology is a philosophy and a morality, exploring the ways in which humans should act peacefully, ecologically, and globally.
In order to be ‘local and global’, we are going to have to alter our cultural filters by pursuing a critique of individualism and meritocracy, and
exploring social capital and social freedom.
Education should be seen as learning rather than teaching. With less focus on the transmission of ‘facts’ as givens, and more on
discovery as the means to open minds to their potential for contributing to our common survival. By recognizing the diversity of learners, we
can develop the support within which all can flourish, avoiding the wasted talent, apathy and alienation that a meritocracy engenders.
Education as learning indicates that the learner is most significant. Effective learning takes place when the learner is actively participating
in investigation, exploration, discovery of things in which they are most interested ; the teacher is an aid, a guide, not a dictator.
Education as learning should be as diverse as the number of learners, taking place in any learning space with the learner free to
negotiate with their teachers what the curriculum is to be.
All learners are dependent upon their teachers, parents, family, researchers, reporters, writers, other learners, across time and space. We
can only learn to be skilled in cooperation with others. We learn to be free in association with others. We learn to be skilled by following
the examples of others.
Schools would be places where all are working together in learning communities. The curriculum would be topic/project/problem based with
the opportunity for learners choices to be linked to the achievement of learning outcomes. This system would welcome diversity,
respecting difference and fostering interdependence, promoting co-operation not competition.
Learning can take place anywhere, anytime in learning spaces , where learners can discover relationships and knowledge rather than
memorizing prescribed curricula as directed by governments or religious centres. Negotiation would be a key practice in the development
of learner choice and in changing the relationships between teachers, learners and knowledge.
Open approaches to learning promote the use of open texts, open dialogue, discourse and negotiation in order to solve problems,
enabling all learners to cooperate on issues of real concern in their own local communities and globally. ‘Education as liberation’: a
pedagogy of hope.
Learners can move beyond the limitations of prescription into new worlds of possibilities to formulate a pedagogy of social ecology,
according to which a ‘green movement’ could promote ‘green living’ in a ‘green world’;
and direct democracy, with communities based on free association, mutual and workers councils, local assemblies, supported by
cooperative households and collective work places; where ‘green’ communities would preserve, conserve and recycle, reuse and repair.
Energy would be saved, and alternative sources developed. Water would be conserved. Only those chemicals least harmful to the
environment would be used. Paper not plastic. People will walk, cycle, and share automobiles and public transport.
We are far from this. We live in a capitalist world which is controlled by a capitalist elite -10.1 million people who own as much wealth as
6.7 billion. A world in which poverty is normal, and where wealth is abnormal. Government agencies declare that the alleviation of
poverty is top priority, and the development of the poorest countries essential. But the evidence is that development projects lead to
corruption and bribery, and the maximisation of profits for the fuel/mining/logging/agricultural corporations. Development must benefit the
host country by close supervision and regulation, and raise their levels of subsistence and promote 'social businesses'.
However, the future is bleak. The consequences of climate change are shortages of food, water; along with the spread of disease, and
catastrophic climatic events. The consequences of capitalist exploitation are death, destruction, misery for the poor majority and their
children. Unless we adopt social ecology, accept a new morality, and make alternative choices............!
J.Kelvyn Richards
send comments to hmr@kelvynrichards.com
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