Dear Organlearners,
At de Lange writes:
>Ignoring organisation.
>Ignorance is an antonym for learning. But in lieu of the "becoming
>being" pattern we have to call the organisation in which ignorance
>prevails an "ignoring organisation". Are there really organisations
>which qualify as "ignoring organisations"? Yes. In such organisations
>there is a persistent ignoring of things (family, recreation,
>spirituality, etc.) essential to a healthy life.
Greetings At,
I've learned much from your posts and I am currently exploring the realm
of "becoming being" pairs that you've mentioned before and again in this
post.
My question however, is actually off topic from what you were discussing
in this post and has to do with your statement, "Ignorance is an antonym
for learning."
Sometimes I find that a particular phrase will stand out from everything
else being communicated because of some experience or discovery that is
personal to me. This phrase is one of them. It immediately caused me to
examine the relationship between ignorance and learning and led to the
question, "Is ignorance really the opposite of learning?"
Isn't ignorance actually a prerequisite for learning? Is it possible that
ignorance itself is not bad -- it is simply a fact. Is it not BECAUSE of
my ignorance that I have opportunity to learn? [side thought-- back to
your post: could ignoring my ignorance be the antonym for learning?]
I was raised in a school system that required the "right" answer. If you
had the "right" answer you were recognized and honored; if you gave the
"wrong" answer or "didn't know" you were embarrassed and looked stupid.
The consequence for me was to equate ignorance with stupidity. I learned
through the process to hide ignorance because I didn't want to look
stupid. I learned that I could hide my ignorance in "right" answers
("will this be on the test?").
In the work place I found the same system at work. In meetings, if a
person "did not know" or gave the "wrong" answer they were humiliated and
looked stupid because of their ignorance. I learned well how to hide my
ignorance ("sure, that should work"). I also carried the fear (terror)
that one day someone would uncover the "truth".
One day, as I was reading a short story to my young children called "The
Emperor's New Clothes", my eyes were opened to see a situation set up that
felt very similar to what I had experienced as a young boy in school and
later as an adult at work. "Only the wise will be able to see these
marvelous new cloths; they will be delighted by their beauty and their
majesty. But, the foolish will not be able to even see the fabric.
(paraphrase)" When the advisors to the Emperor went to see how the
tailors were progressing on the new cloths, they had to act and speak like
they saw the beautiful cloth. They, after all, were the wisest in the
kingdom. They tried to out do one another in their descriptions of the
"marvelous fabric". In the end, no one was willing to reveal that they
were a fool, not even the Emperor (or maybe especially the emperor). When
the cloths were finished, the emperor and his advisers thought it would be
a profound event for the king to show off his new marvelously beautiful
cloths by leading a parade through town. Toward the end of the parade
route a startled young child could be heard crying out, "Mother, look, the
emperor is naked!!" The final line of the story pierced me:
"So. Who was truly wise and who was the fool?"
In the years since I read that story, I've found that ignorance is nothing
to be feared or ashamed of. In fact it is something to celebrate. As
soon as I discover an ignorance I am excited because I know I have been
presented the opportunity to learn.
I was able to seperate being ignorant (not YET knowing something) from
being stupid (the INABILITY to learn - btw, I haven't met anyone yet who
can not learn). I came to know that ignorance was a relatively easy thing
to remedy - I just needed to learn (and I discovered learning was a
delight). I also learned that foolishness was not as easy to remedy. So
when I am at a point of choosing, I choose to reveal what I am (ignorant)
rather than become a fool.
At, thank you for reminding me of this event in my life.
And Rick, thank you for this forum. I know there are times when my
writing to the list is more for my benefit (the sense of "I am here") than
for anyone who might read it.
Stan
Stanton L. Berberich e-mail: sberberi@uhl.uiowa.edu
University of Iowa
[Host's Note: Stan, you're very welcome. ...Rick]
--"Stanton L. Berberich" <sberberi@uhl.uiowa.edu>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>