Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Impressionable People: a Wax-like Mind



"Be careful what you say around that young student because anything you say can be imprinted on his mind and may become permanent," suggested the elderly professor to Trevor, his teaching assistant. "Then, he may act on it."

"Wax melts," replied Trevor, with a smile.

"Maybe in time, but the minds of many people, particularly teenagers, are very impressionable and they tend to take everything you teach them literally, so always be careful what you teach."

"I was just trying to get him to understand the power of freedom, but I do hear what you are saying," replied Trevor, determined to succeed in his teaching profession. "Now, how can I use that knowledge to my advantage?" he wondered, as headed back to his tiny office. Trevor was more flexible in his teaching than his elderly adviser, who he often regarded as being rather stodgy, old school, and far too rigid in his thinking. Blair, his young, first year student, was waiting for him at the door.

"Hi Blair, we were just discussing your paper.  The prof's area of concern is that you are taking what I am teaching you too literally," Trevor advised him.

Blair slipped his back pack off and perched on the edge of Trevor's desk.

"Do you think I am?" he asked. "I don't."

"He may be right," suggested Trevor cautiously. "We may want to take matters into our own hands, but at the same time, freedom is still the key, not violence."

"You mean freedom to do what we want in order to solve the problem of injustice?"

Trevor shook his head, uncertain as to whether Blair would understand what he was saying. "That means the freedom to do good, not evil, to find a higher pathway than violence. Do a rewrite on your paper, Blair. Your task is to find a better way."

Blair was stunned.

"That is like asking me to live on Mars."

"I have faith in the younger generation, Blair." 



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