What is Education For?

Orr points out many interesting myths in this article in addition to some great new principles for individuals to ponder. In Aldo Leopold’s words, know that “they are only cogs in and ecological mechanism such that, if they will work with that mechanism, their mental wealth and material wealth can expand indefinitely (and) if they refuse to work with it, it will ultimately grind them to dust.” (Orr 1991) We are only “cogs” in a large machine working together for the best end result but Orr is challenging us, even back 17 years ago with concepts that are still very relevant today! In his third myth he mentions the loss of vernacular knowledge and the demographic shift from rural to urban settings (Orr 1991). I am living in that world today. It is interesting how the agricultural world that I live in has change in the last 17 years do to the lack of urban individuals understanding agriculture; I trend they were worried about in 1991. 17 years ago at an producer of agricultural products we did not worry about educating the public about how we were raising a wholesome product in an environmentally and human way. As a individual who has grown up and still lives in agriculture, this has always been the case of 95% of all agricultural producers for hundreds of years but it is the 5% that are not responsible that the public (who is so far removed from agriculture) chooses to focus on. For me, as a producer, it is disheartening to see the loss of knowledge and connection to a vital part of everyone’s sustainability on this plant; it is something I work very hard at in educating our younger generation at through my work, my son’s school and through my role as being a responsible dairy producer. So when Orr listed his 11 “basic comprehension list” I was relieved to see an excellent list yet disheartened that 17 year later we still are not accomplishing this list. When are we going to take notice and set the pace for change?