September 12th: We Knew Everything Would Be All Right is such powerful book written and illustrated by first graders. We are reminded that even after the horrific events that took place on September 11, 2001 the world still continued the next day. This would be an outstanding book to use in the classroom when speaking about the events that took place on September 11th. It would be a great book to introduce the message of hope. Students could write about things that bring them hope or what makes them proud to be an American. It would also be a great book to introduce the word patriotism and how the students in the text displayed love for their country. 

 

Guided Reading level: H

Patriotism and Government - Leo Tolstoy ""

The Sino-Japanese tradition was very important to Yukio Mishima (January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970), who held strong ideals of the militaristic glory days of old Japan. 

First things first—the book, the physical book, has some problems: what appears, to me, as occasionally awkward translation and very unfortunate copy-editing. I wanted to get that off my chest each of those problems bugged me right from the beginning. I soldiered on, but the experience of reading was tainted. ‘Nuff said.

It’s almost impossible to say much about Patriotism without spoilers. If you’ve read the title description you know what those are and shouldn’t be surprised by anything that follows. Just in case: This review contains spoilers!

Patriotism, for me, is one of those confused and confusing concepts that many equate simply with ‘love of country’ (which would, I suppose, be fine) but often takes the form of an ugly nationalism, which in my opinion, has never been merited—by any country, at any time. While it’s one thing to stand misty-eyed, with hand over heart, as the flag passes by, remembering (or fantasizing about) what one regards as the best of one’s country’s finest attributes and history, it’s quite another thing to ignore the attributes and history which don’t adhere to one’s mythology. I must make the distinction in my mind and explicitly, as it seems too few do and the one trait frequently poses as the other. Patriotism is that ‘virtue’ we have (and those cute foreigners with whom we get along), while ‘nationalism’ is the domain of the evil. It equates, roughly, with the notion that only other people’s religions are superstitions.

For the sake of clarity, I do not regard Patriotism as a virtue, and that had something to do with putting off the reading of this novella as the title created approach/avoidance conflict within me. Moving on.

The novella presents the story of the final two days in the lives of Shinji and Reiko Takeyama. Their love for each other, and respect for each other, and devotion to each other seem absolute, honorable, moving. For me, it is within that context the story works best. Shinji, however, is not a character with whom everyone will be able to identify—especially, given that his decision to commit suicide is not due to personal disgrace, but rather because friends had committed mutiny against his country. He knew he wouldn’t be able to fight them, they were his friends, and he knew he was opposed to their rebellion, so the solution to his dilemma is…suicide (?). I know, I know, time and place—time, place, and tradition—still. That was, for me, the least compelling aspect of the novella. On the other hand, Reiko— Any sensitive (sympathetic) reading demands a qualified appreciation of Reiko. No, she’s not a feminist hero. Her motivation is honorable—in spite of the superstition (accompanying her husband on his next adventure). Their love for each other is believable. Can’t ask for more than that.

Four stars—because I can’t do more, and won’t do fewer. Grizzly. Probably not best read while depressed.

Zhang Xiaomao says China, despite its pledge, smothers spirit of inquiry

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping said the freedom to be creative in science and technology must be respected, to bolster innovation and invention.

 

Source Link 

 

Since the Communist Party came to power in 1949, patriotic education has been part of every mainland student's schooling, training them to love and devote themselves to the party, the people and socialism. But now it seems that patriotic education and its ideologies could be a hindrance to realising the Chinese dream of resurgence.

 

While visiting the Chinese Academy of Sciences last month, President Xi Jinping said the freedom to be creative in science and technology must be respected, to bolster innovation and invention. Yet, he has also stressed that patriotism is the first requirement for these Chinese professionals.

 

The vice-governor of Guizhou province, Chen Mingming , was even more direct: he said that Chinese citizens who don't love their own country were scum and a waste of space, and should leave China for the US.

 

Why is patriotism back to the fore? The answer is that China is still losing its top talent in great numbers.

 

From 1978 to 2008, China sent a total of 1.4 million students abroad to study. Fewer than a third of them came back.

So, in order to attract some of the brightest and best, the central government launched the Thousand Talents programme in 2008. As a result, the number of returnees has risen every year since.

 

Nonetheless, those who have a doctorate degree remain in a minority among the returning Chinese. Data from the Ministry of Education shows that last year, of the 150,000 Chinese returnees who got a degree abroad, only 5.8 per cent have a doctorate.

 

Meanwhile, a survey by an American institute revealed that, in 2011, as many as 82 per cent of the Chinese obtaining doctorates in the US hoped to stay in America. That compares with 89.4 per cent in 2005.

 

Such facts reveal the failure of China's education system, especially higher education. From 1982 to 2011, some 440,000 Chinese students have earned doctorates from Chinese universities. But world-class Chinese scientists and scholars remain thin on the ground. Why is this?

 

Liu Daoyu , a former Wuhan University president, believes the root cause is that Chinese education seeks to mould students using a set of rules or requirements, whereas the West tends to guide students, to allow them more freedom to develop.

This view may be correct, but it's only half the story.

 

The key point is that China doesn't value creativity as much as patriotism. So, the problem becomes clear: if a country doesn't believe being creative is a top priority in scientific and technical research, how is it ever going to push the boundaries of development?

 

Xi's aim may be to try to keep as tight a rein as possible on the country's creative energy, to channel it for the good of the party and the nation.

But this is merely a revival of the old ways of government: in ancient China, rulers maintained command of the people's thoughts through the cultivation of morals; today, with a socialistic ideology on the wane, patriotism has become a tool for restraining people's thought.

 

Since the Qin dynasty, China has struggled to make great scientific or philosophical breakthroughs that would stun the world.

 

So, it seems to make little sense to allow patriotism to flourish at the expense of ingenuity. Surely the party doesn't want to see a repeat of history, with China relegated to the realms of intellectual pygmy once again?

 

Patriotism and creativity aren't incompatible. But because one is emphasised over the other, and regarded as a criterion for assessing the other, patriotism has become an impediment to creativity.

Clearly, it's time to free education from ideology and politics.

Zhang Xiaomao is a Shenzhen-based scholar and commentator

 

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