Just some commentary about people and teaching and perspectives and such

If you're a follower of my blogs, then you are already well-versed in my love for Trampled By Turtles. You likely already know about the first Good Record blog Dave Simonett ever wrote and how it inspired a piece of artwork that I was eventually able to gift to the band (although I still don't know whether Dave himself has seen it...) and how I now read all of Dave's free blogs.

Earlier this week, Dave wrote a thought-provoking blog about technology and people who share similar opinions. Here's an excerpt that really resonated with me:

What I worry about most in the current state of technology is our inability to agree on a shared reality. If I do most of my shopping, communicating, and news-ingesting online, which I admittedly do, then quickly my experience becomes ultra-curated by the all-mighty algorithm to only include items that I would likely buy, social media accounts of people I would likely follow, and news with which I would likely agree. I bet a lot of you have had the experience of talking about a product and then seeing ads for that product the next time you checked your phone. Why that isn’t enough to throw them all in a bottomless pit, I have no idea. If each of us is given a reality specifically tailored to our own tastes and beliefs, how could we possibly understand people that feel differently? I mean they would be crazy, wouldn’t they? How many times have you been in a room with friends and someone says something about a politician and the conversation moves forward without the slightest inkling that someone at the table might feel differently than the speaker? Because of our echo chambers, we tend to believe that if we like someone, the two of us must, of course, be politically aligned. Those people wouldn’t hang out in this restaurant! Those people wouldn’t like this band! Those people are different than us! Those people!

We are constantly bombarded with information showing us that those who believe differently than we do about government (or medicine, or education, or electric cars or whatever) are somehow not only wrong, but evil.

For the most part, I agree with everything he's written. However, I do think that teachers fall into a slightly different category. I mean, I definitely tend to avoid topics of politics with my students, but based on some conversations I've overheard in my classroom, I am relatively certain that my political views do not align with the views of the majority whom I teach. But do you know what? Despite considering situations from very different perspectives, my students and I get along really well! They are good, kind kids who --- regardless as to whether their beliefs are conservative or liberal --- generally treat people respectfully. And they're open to learning! Granted, I don't give them much of a choice to learn... but they experience texts that contain content ranging from vampires to the Carlisle Indian School, swim teams to racism in the deep south, and witches cackling around a cauldron to star-crossed lovers whose families are continuously feuding.

There are a lot of great aspects to teaching, but the BEST aspect is undoubtedly the kids. And experiencing their perspectives of the world. And sometimes changing my own perspectives as a result.

Man, I wish I had a way to send Dave Simonett a copy of An Illusion of Control. I think he'd really like it a lot!

PS If you haven't yet purchased a copy of An Illusion of Control, you'll be able to buy one next Friday. Here are the deets: