It's Greener on the Outside of the Box

So today I woke up anticipating a probable boring day; when I logged onto my laptop, I was sent quiet an interesting video by an awesome and inquisitive person. I initially groaned as I noticed that the video was like 18 minutes long; to me that is long. I mean it was some British guy I have never heard of…but then I just watched and…it was fantastic.

Here is the video.  I recommend and request that you watch the video before reading the rest of my jargon. 

See at first glance, I was a little intrigued about what this may have been about, whether it was an attack, motivation, defence, I didn’t know. As I kept watching, it seemed to fall closer and closer to some of my own philosophical views.

I have every intention of becoming a teacher, an English teacher more specifically. And I’d first like to say, that the video was not an attack on education. In fact, it only advocates it further. This should be obvious to everyone because education really is the building blocks for anything and everything. In order to gain knowledge and do anything, you need to be educated in some way, shape or form. 

This can be seen through the Robinson’s portrayal of how education has evolved. Now it’s not just about the degree, it is about a lot more. And in a sense, this is a little tedious. All of a sudden, this certificate is the dictator of what we do and how we are perceived. Not only this, but a false hierarchy has been created.

Not only through education but parental and exterior factors has this hierarchy been created. In general, people have become more orientated towards exercising the left side of their brains. The perception of the maths and sciences have trumped the arts and languages. 

These areas of study in general are deeply associated with specific systematic procedures and rules. In a sense, school and education has enforced these rules as well. 

For instance, how many times have you been told ‘do not colour outside of the lines’. But why not? Why not indulge in the areas where things can be ambiguous? Where you should be disinterested and skeptical? By subjecting ourselves to rules and only the absolute science that we have already proven, how else to we learn and expand our minds and potentially open doors we never thought we could open. 

The arts, English, things without rules. These help us search outside of the box and not solely focus on the answer. They look at the process, they allow us to be silly, they allow us to make mistakes and learn from them. It’s not all about the calculated norm and the rules drawn out for us. Why be boring, why follow the mundane? By confining yourself to only rules is only another way to conforming.

Let’s look at school spirit for a second. Many would question, why bother? Is it even important? I can’t go to a “insert event here”, because I have homework. Homework is important, and it should definitely be done. But it’s most probably a left brained exercise. A school rally or spirit event should allow for people to step beyond those rules for a second. Experience something new and be willing to unleash a new type of though. Be ready to indulge and engage in a more whimsical way, to be more, creative. 

It’s not only the math and the sciences and the rules and the norms that bring us where we are, or allow us to progress. It’s that fresh mind, that allows to think outside the box and breaks the norms. It’s because we have so much more potential to do and think, but these rules are preventing us. We are only restraining ourselves by telling ourselves what we have to do, and how we have to do it. 

By doing this, we are narrowing ourselves to a set of instructions and nothing else. All of a sudden, this system has become the means to do whatever that task may be, and only this system works for it. I disagree with this, and this is why I love English. It allows for conflicting possibilities. It allows these possibilities to also be valid. Even in math or sciences, although the answer may be 5, there is still a variety of ways to come to that conclusion. Possibilities exist.

In the video above, I’m a big fan of Robinson’s story of the little boys in the play. As children, before we have this notion of right and wrong, or fear of mistakes, we are willing to give things a go. Even if they are right or wrong, we are willing to make an attempt at things, draw all willy-nilly and be able to learn from our mistakes. It’s this potential for ‘digression’ that allows for creativity. Digression is not bad, the GPS was created due to digression. Math is important, but so is creativity, even more so. I mean, I’m sure it took a creative person to create a system of numbers and algorithms. 

All forms of education are important. All of them. This is why every single area of study should be treated with care. Students, children, anyone should be encouraged to pursue whatever it is they like, enjoy and most inevitably are good at. Academics are diverse, just as the world is and this is why the study of possibility, creativity, through language, arts etc. 

Today however it is all about the answer. What has happened to motor skills? The process? Creativity should be allowed to roam freely, and it should not be intimidated or intimidating. Part of this battle may be caused by parents, and part of the rules set for us. However the majority of the battle must be taken upon the subject itself, us. We need to work to our fullest and not discount anything; to be willing to go above and beyond, and not just stay within.  

I remember, not long ago, I asked a student, and a very talented one at that, to write me an editorial paper. I told this student to ‘Have fun with it, go crazy. Do anything you want!’ At that moment, I was crazy, and over the weeks, we went through how to cast away the rules, and really go crazy with it. Today, this student has further learned to step outside of the box and not be intimidated to think of something new and fresh.

Additionally, I often tell people that I am crazy; and sometimes people themselves call me crazy, but not in a bad way. I use this word crazy, because it signifies differences. It shows that their is no fear to be different, which is what all individuals are. It also shows that we are willing to think outside the box, far-fetched and outlandish thoughts. Now they may be far-fetched and outlandish, but a lot of genius ideas are derivatives from these types of thoughts. 

The point I’m trying to make is quite simple. I usually do not like to be so straight forward or direct with my thesis, or message, but I will here. We are capable of more. We can do more. The answer is great, but the journey, the road, the process is empowering. To be able to walk down processes and coming to your own destination, is nothing short of fantastic. So do not be afraid to step outside the box, do not be afraid to be yourself, whimsical or new. Be willing to question and ponder, look at all angles. I push you to think beyond the rules, and push yourself to your instincts, and not just the cold hard facts. We are all capable of so much more, so let yourself function at full throttle. Next time you think of a rule or restriction, dispel it to see what good you can achieve. Allow yourself to go beyond the limits. Don’t conform. Do what you wish, whether it be math, science, art, English etc. We shouldn’t squander ourselves due to our different and enormous skill-sets, we should only harness the tremendous capabilities we have. And what I mainly want to say is…don’t be afraid about being creative. It’s what will make you a superstar.