Comment on Australia Rising
As an educator I am somewhat shocked by Mr Howard's speech.
Its hard for many to see past the party political rhetoric of an election year campaign speech. However Mr Howard's speech struck a chord with me. Perhaps that ought to be "discord".
You see, out of all the 21st century skills, flat world, what if, shake it up, type presentations that I have been referring to in my previous posts, (presentations which in my opinion inspire and motivate many educators), it took Mr Howard to link 2020 to the ongoing global war on terror. (In my mind at least).
Mr Howard's choice of words is very telling. When describing australia in 2020 he uses, Struggle, terrorism, fight, war, enemy, battle, defence force, combat, heavy burden.
Have the educators got it wrong? Or is it the politicians that refuse to shift from 20th century "world is round" thinking? What kind of world are we creating? Do we tell the class of 2020 (todays kindergarten), that our leaders are planning to continue the war? That the world they graduate into will be a burden and a struggle, or ought we be trying to inspire them with some other, more hopeful vision?
3 comments:
You're absolutely right Mark. A speech that was supposed to be inspiring and progressive peered into the future by dwelling on the past. It was always going to be lacklustre. But what did you expect?
My daughter is eight years old next month and I look forward to her growing into adulthood in an Australia devoid of John Howard and his reflexive conservatism.
I can't wait to see the end of an Australian society that is characterised by furrowed brows, jutting elbows and wagging fingers.
I long for my darling one to grow up tall and proud with open arms and an even more open smile.
Lacklustre? I was inspired! I was thinking about this last night Stu.
I was inspired to prevent the class of 2020 from entering (growing up in) a world dominated by fear, mistrust and hatred, as defined by John Howard.
marek..
Thank You. I also cannot wait. Tall, proud, open arms and smiles. a much greater vision than Mr Howard presents.
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