The Question of a "Useless" Person: A Deep Dive into Behavioral Education
Why negative behaviors persist despite years of education and highlights the importance of genuine listening, understanding, and applying learned behaviors. Using insights from Stefano Mancuso's book "Men in Love with Plants" and an anecdote from Hazrat Mevlana Rumi, the article emphasizes the need for continuous self-education and behavioral improvement to avoid becoming "empty" or "useless."
RURAL COMMUNITY
Can a person truly be in vain education? This is a pressing issue in today's society. Despite years of education and various teaching methods aimed at instilling proper behavior, certain negative behaviors persist.
What else can you call someone who continues to exhibit such behaviors but an "empty" person? For instance, even after countless attempts to educate people not to spit on the ground or litter, if a 50-year-old still does these things, isn't the education given in vain? Similar behavioral disorders abound. Aren't schools supposed to be places where correct behavior is taught and ingrained? The process should involve listening first, understanding, making sense of what is understood, and demonstrating it behaviorally. However, we often fail to teach listening as the first step, causing the entire system to collapse. Alternatively, by pretending to listen, we deceive ourselves and others, which is even worse. Unfortunately, this act is common.
You might wonder if there's a solution to this issue. Interestingly, the answer can be found in Stefano Mancuso's book, "Men in Love with Plants." The author highlights that the common trait among scientists is their ability to see and pay attention to their surroundings, especially the extraordinary manifestations of life. They observe, research, and understand with respect and love. This perseverance and determination are essential for every good naturalist. The book features stories of people with this ability, showcasing how many modern discoveries involved significant effort and passion, similar to those described in Mancuso's book. For example, John Harvey Kellogg, the first black agricultural engineer in America, promoted peanut butter as a high-protein and healthy food source in the 1890s. The author describes how Kellogg struggled to educate himself and ultimately can accepted himself. What does this have to do with being an "empty" person? It shows that to think, research, strive, and wonder how to achieve better, one must first educate themselves.
What does education accomplish? It should aligns with one's interests, guided by the right schools and teachers. Teachers are not just instructors; they are role models. Therefore, if you want to develop a mindset for improvement, you must learn and study the lives of successful people. Without this, there is no progress or change. A person should continuously learn and integrate what they learn into their life. Otherwise, they are no different from a pet cat at home. Humans must question their existence and behave accordingly. Otherwise, they live a false existence.
In an anecdote attributed to Hazrat Molana Rumi, a Governor asks, "Who are you?" Rumi responds, "I am nothing." When the Governor insists on his status, saying, "I am the Governor," Rumi continues, "What will you be next?" The Governor imagines higher positions, but Rumi reminds him that ultimately, without these titles, he is nothing. This highlights that while we may all be "nothing," we should not remain idle. Education and training distinguish us from animals; they develop, change, and evolve our behaviors for the better.
To make the most of education, we must reflect what we know and learn into our lives, organizing our behaviors accordingly. If we persist in repeating the same wrong behaviors, we are denying our human. Mistakes made once might be forgiven, but repeating them knowingly is a sign of an uneducated and wild state. This is what it means to be an "empty" person.
To avoid this emptiness, we must embrace continuous learning and behavioral improvement. This means truly listening, understanding, and applying what we learn. By doing so, we can move beyond mere existence to a more meaningful and impactful life, avoiding the trap of becoming "useless."
Please note that the views expressed in this article are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of any organization.
Mithat Direk is serving the Department of Agricultural Economics, Selcuk University, Konya-Türkiye.