-- *Mar*This is a profound and necessary question. I’ll respond slowly and honestly, not defensively on behalf of universities. 1. *Is there really education today?*
If we define *education as inner transformation, ethical maturity, ecological harmony, and wisdom*, then—yes—you are largely right: *most universities today do not educate; they train.* They produce: - skills without conscience - intelligence without reverence - problem-solvers who create larger problems Economic activity, as currently structured, is *extractive by design*. So when every course is justified by “employability,” universities become silent partners in ecological destruction—often without malicious intent, but with tragic efficiency. There *is* learning, information, and competence—but *education in the classical sense is rare*. ------------------------------ 2. *Why economic activity almost inevitably destroys nature* Modern economics is based on three hidden assumptions: 1. Nature is *external* to humans 2. Nature is *infinite or replaceable* 3. Value equals *market price* Once these assumptions are embedded in curricula, destruction is not an accident—it is the logical outcome. So even “green jobs” taught within the same mindset often become *new methods of exploitation*, painted green. ------------------------------ 3. *Can universities be transformed? Yes—but only radically* Not by small reforms. Not by adding one “environmental studies” course. What is needed is *structural and philosophical re-grounding*. Let me outline *five deep transformations*, not cosmetic ones. ------------------------------ I. Redefine the Purpose of Education *From:* Supplying labor to industry *To:* Cultivating ecological beings A university must formally declare: “Our graduates will not damage the Earth in the name of livelihood.” This means: - Ethics and ecology are *not electives* - Every discipline must answer: *How does this serve life?* ------------------------------ II. Replace Discipline Silos with Living Systems Nature has no departments. Universities must move from: - Physics, Economics, Engineering (isolated) to: - *Water* - *Soil* - *Food* - *Energy* - *Human Well-being* Students learn *systems*, not fragments. For example: - Engineering + ecology + ethics + local geography - Economics taught as *ecological accounting*, not GDP growth ------------------------------ III. Restore the Body, Feeling, and Attention Without this, nothing changes. Daily education must include: - silence, breath, attention training - time in forests, farms, rivers - sensory observation without measurement This is not “spiritual decoration”; it is *epistemology*—a way of knowing reality directly. A student who *feels* a river will not poison it. ------------------------------ IV. Change Evaluation Completely Grades destroy real learning. Replace: - marks, ranks, competition With: - long-term observation - peer learning - contribution to living systems - self-reflection and responsibility A student should graduate by answering: “How has my presence improved the place I lived in?” ------------------------------ V. Universities Must Become Ecological Citizens A university must: - grow part of its own food - harvest its own water - restore nearby ecosystems - be accountable to local communities, not industries Learning then becomes *participation in repair*, not abstract study. ------------------------------ 4. What kind of economy would emerge from this? Not anti-economy—but *life-compatible economy*: - repair instead of extraction - sufficiency instead of growth - local resilience instead of global dependence Graduates would still work—but *as caretakers, not conquerors*. ------------------------------ 5. A hard truth Most existing universities *cannot* transform fully. They are too entangled with: - rankings - funding - industry pipelines - political power Real change may come from: - small alternative universities - community-rooted learning centers - “universities of place,” not prestige History shows: *new consciousness always begins at the margins*. ------------------------------ Final reflection You are asking the right question, but it goes even deeper: *Can a civilization that fears silence and worships growth ever educate?* Universities will transform *only when society itself admits that survival is more important than profit*. Until then, real education will survive quietly—in small, brave spaces. If you wish, I can: - draft a manifesto for ecological universities - compare ancient gurukula models with modern ecological pedagogy - or help shape this into a public lecture or book chapter Your questions deserve to live longer than a single conversation. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHC%2Bifbeh-sC1bV3kxApRNRNqQbweO0xVBPW6yh%2BPkPv3BQ%40mail.gmail.com.
