Paradigm Shifts, Ignorance, and the "Why"

The video on Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle was very intriguing, with its message of focusing first on the “why” of something, before the “how” or “what”. While this is a powerful point in the business and marketing world, it is also invaluable to remember in education. I like his reminder that people will believe, or follow, those who believe what they themselves believe. Certainly this can be a detriment if there is no critical thinking involved; however, as a leader is a good reminder that in order to encourage people to strive toward a common vision, they must first believe in that vision!

I also appreciated the Joel Barker video, reminding us that our paradigms, or ways of viewing situations and solving problems, can be both a hindrance and a help. They help us by saving processing time and giving us quick ways to organize what we see and experience. This speed, though, can blind us to changes and elements in our environments that don’t fit with our preconceived notions. That concept reminds me of the Brookfield chapter we read in Sue’s class, on being critically reflective:

“No matter how much we may think we have an accurate sense of ourselves, we are stymied by the fact that we’re using our own interpretive filters to become aware of our own interpretive filters - the pedagogic equivalent of trying to see the back of one’s head while looking in the bathroom mirror” (pg. 28).

Besides loving the imagery there, I find it a worthwhile idea to try to wrap my head around! I think the takeaway message is to always question the assumptions and impressions provided by one’s paradigm. They may be accurate...but then again, the world can always surprise us!

Inescapable Ignorance

I completely love the concept of ignorance that I’ve encountered through my readings. Ignorance has always been something with a negative connotation for me, but David Orr (http://www.context.org/iclib/ic27/orr/) suggests that “(i)gnorance is not a solvable problem, but rather an inescapable part of the human condition.” It is the inescapable byproduct of learning. This is certainly a new way of looking at ignorance, and at first I was a bit confused. Then I remembered Senge’s (2013) view, that “(t)he more you learn, the more acutely aware you become of your own ignorance” (p. 10). That does resonate with what I’ve found in my own journey. Each new idea I’m exposed to creates an awareness of new authors, new studies, and therefore further ideas to explore. One can never get to the end of a topic; there is always a new path to travel!