DavidVogt

I’ve been meaning to write something on this subject but I haven’t found the right words until today. I want to say a few things on the topic of education.

I think a lot of us have felt the downfalls of our public education systems. The problem is that the world is changing, but the way we educate our population has a relatively low rate of change in comparison. I think Jack Welch said it best. “If change is happening on the outside faster than on the inside the end is in sight.”

That’s what we’re seeing in our education system right now. I firmly believe it’s time for a dramatic change. We PAY a lot of money for our education - why should we accept things the way they are? As it is, the rate of innovation is much too slow and doesn’t properly prepare our population for the future. They are trying to make yesterday’s ideas work in today’s world - a recipe for disaster.

So what needs to change? A few things. I want to start out with one that really gets my blood boiling: The BUSINESS of education. How can it be that people are trying to make money off the people that control the future, and successfully do so? Why should we settle for this? This needs to be broken down immediately. Tuition fees of $45,000 a year are simply unacceptable, I don’t care how prestigious your school is.

The second thing is the method of educating people. We have incredible new technologies that provide ENDLESS opportunities for the future of education. Why is almost nobody exploring them? Don’t people see the potential of the internet to reach more people, and do so much more cost-effectively?

Now, some people believe that the role of the internet is to bring the classroom to people’s homes. To me, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. You know why? Because the classroom setting was never an effective learning environment in the first place. Putting it on a screen is nothing more than re-arranging the deck chairs of the Titanic.

So what do we need? We need a completely new environment for education. A new model, a new beginning. We need to break down the misconception that the future of education is digital books, and wake up to the reality that maybe, just maybe, we need to re-think the entire concept of books. Maybe the book format is nothing more than a relic of the past, and more effective ways of learning are among us - but we haven’t seen them.

In fact, NOBODY has gotten the right recipe to education in today’s world. It’s kind of sad - but at the same time, I find it to be terribly exciting. I think the right way to go about it is NOT to post a bunch of blogs and articles. What we need, in my opinion, is an interactive environment that fully utilizes the power of our new technologies. What will that look like? I have no idea, but I intend to create it anyway.

And what does this have to do with YOU? Well, first of all, we are all subject to an education, at any scale. Specifically, here on deviantART, we come together not just to show off our pictures, but to exchange ideas and perhaps most importantly - learn new things. Today marks an important step and experiment for me to changing the way education works in the “virtual world.” Today we are announcing the Photography Learning Network in our group, thephotographyunion. I urge you to examine it closely, share your thoughts, and ideally join us in this exciting experiment to make the first step to a new education...right here on deviantART.

I woke up this morning to my usual status-filled Facebook and Twitter page. But today, things were a little bit different. Dozens of people wrote things along the lines of, “Never Forget 9/11.” I’d like to take a moment to say a few things about that.

Disclaimer: I am a permanent resident of the USA. I express my greatest condolences to those who have lost their lives during 9/11 and their loves ones. I’m proud to be part of the culture, and do not mean to offend - I mean to open your eyes.

It really struck me today. Honestly, what makes September 11th so special? The fact that it was thousands of people at once who got killed? The shock of the situation? The face that the USA discovered that it too, is vulnerable? What is it? Why should I take today to remember something that happened 10 years ago?

Many of these people I saw posting such things never mention anything about it on any other day. It seems like 9/11 is an eye-opener for them about something terrible that happened in this world.

Allow me to remind you about something: People lose their lives to hate and discrimination EVERY SINGLE DAY. This isn’t exclusive to the United States. Why should I spend my time remembering 9/11? I don’t feel I should. I’ll tell you why: Because my time is much better spent actively doing something against hate and discrimination as it happens.

How many people do you know that get a hard time for being of a different color, sexuality, gender, or personality? How many times do we watch these people get condemned as we are too shy to stand up for them? Discrimination causes many people to take their lives - every single day. On top of that, here’s another eye-opener: Many countries around the world give the DEATH PENALTY for homosexuality. This is essentially a more direct version of what happens in the States and other countries every single day.

And while I’m at it: “Remembering” isn’t gonna change crap. DO something about it. Set aside your own cultural differences and stand up for yourself and others. If you see someone being discriminated against, step up and make a change. Let your voices be heard! Don’t stand around and later update your Facebook status.

It really gets my blood boiling to see people post “Never Forget 9/11” and then turn around and make fun of a gay person or a disabled person. That’s really hypocritical.

So since we're a great collection of talented and creative artists here, I urge you to create art to raise awareness through your art today. We can make a difference right here on deviantART.

Since today is the one day a year where many people are on this topic, I thought it would be a good time to say this: Discrimination is a form of terrorism too. Why single out 9/11 when it happens every single day, in our very own neighborhoods? My message for you: “Never forget. Every single day.”