I love books by Leo Lionni! He is a great children's author and illustrator. One of my favorites is called Fish is Fish. The story is about two best friends, one a tadpole and the other a minnow. Then, as is normal for all tadpoles, he starts to grow appendages - legs, arms - and then he reaches his physical potential, a frog. Frog can no longer stay under the water with his best friend Fish. He leaves the pond to explore the world. Frog is gone a long time. But eventually he returns to the pond where Fish and Frog spent their childhood together.
Frog relates all of his extraordinary experiences to Fish. But with the limited experience Fish has in his limited pond world, all his brain can picture as Frog is relating all the different animals and people he has encountered are creatures with scales and fins. Fish wanting to see the world for himself jumps out of the water and onto land and soon realizes he cannot breath. Frog hears Fish yelling for help, hurries to the rescue, and pushes Fish back into the pond. And Fish concludes, "Fish is fish."
We need more Frogs in this world through liberal education, or in other words, students who have broad knowledge and skills. Prior the the 20th century, the majority of students received a liberal arts education. This type of education ensures not only a free human being but also a society founded on freedom. This happens because instead of specialization and regurgitation of meaningless facts and standardized testing, students learn a wide range of subjects. They are able to think for themselves as they go to the original sources to learn and to experiment and most importantly to experience! Physics, logic, mathematics, literature, biology, history, foreign languages (especially Latin, Greek, and Hebrew), physical fitness such as dance, music, and anything else that can be conjured up to study come alive through a liberal arts education! Students have greater confidence in themselves and gain a sense of adventure as liberal arts learning weaves each "subject" into a holistic wholeness instead of unrelated compartments. The door of the world of opportunity is opened wide.
I feel empathy toward Fish who is limited in his little world. But of course, with him, it is not a choice. He has his physical limitations and will literally die by defying it. For the rest of us, we most likely do not have limitations. So what is stopping you? Go get that education you deserve and the world needs!
To get started, you can read from The Great Books, or start with Shakespeare's works (wonderful for insight on human nature!), or order a dissection kit from a science supply store, or do math problems that are challenging. Need more ideas? Do an internet search on obtaining a liberal arts education. And most of all, have fun!!! I know I am!
Grow up to be Frog NOT Fish.
