As the conversation continues on the Syrian refugee crisis, I am struck with a truth about humans. We seem to view everything as this or that. As one way or another. What has happened to our ability to see the continuous line between extremes, and to choose a spot on the continuum that everyone can live with?
In the bizarre tangential tangle of my thoughts, I think about another debate that has taken a significant amount of energy in the United States, and that is the debate on Common Core education standards.
Over the past 15 to 20 years or so, we stopped teaching American children how to think, and instead taught them how to pass standardized tests. Now, with Common Core focusing on problem solving skills, we have a generation of parents who never learned problem solving skills reacting fearfully to their inability to help their children with their homework.
Problem solving focuses on the continuum. Passing standardized tests involves teaching on methodology to get the "right" answer. I believe the educational methodology deployed in the United States has led to the divisiveness in society, by teaching and reinforcing the concept that there is one "right" answer.
My personal orientation is that there is never only one "right" answer. There are many ways to examine and solve problems, and the "best" answer in any given situation will change due to circumstances specific to the place and time the problem occurs.
I am a pragmatist, but an optimistic pragmatist. Right-Wrong thinking has dominated the culture in the United States for our entire history. I believe that progress for our country and for our species depends on the ability to evolve past "right-wrong" thinking and into "what is the best solution at this point in time thinking".
So, how does this relate to the current Syrian refugee crisis? It seems that the majority of people are in one camp or another. Don't allow any Syrian refugees into the United States. Welcome the Syrian refugees with open arms and Christian kindness.
Let me first say, the US policy on refugees is the same as it has been and it has always included a screening process. The current posturing is political theater, and unfortunately, too many Americans have come to view that theater as a realistic representation of positions and choices.
There is a sane, safe and humane response to the Syrian refugee crisis. Unfortunately, it is not an "either-or"; or a "right-wrong". The sane, safe and humane response will take thoughtful discussion, rational debate, and compromise. Sadly, we are not good at those things. And I believe part of the reason is that we have stopped teaching our children how to think, and have stopped valuing rational debate.
There is another powerful component in this conversation. Fear. The place in our brain where fear is processed is emotional. There is no rational processing in that portion of the brain. We can train ourselves to recognize the emotional fear response, and use the logical, rational part of our brain to quiet our emotions.
But first, you have to know fear is emotional and not rational, and second, you have to train yourself to respond. And we're not teaching that to our children.
Fear is an incredible motivator, and it gives unscrupulous people the power to manipulate easily. The antidote to fear is logic and information.
We need to commit to teaching ourselves and our children to think, to use data, and to find an acceptable spot on the continuum of possible solutions.
"Right-Wrong" thinking leads to dissent and disharmony. Dissent plants the idea that there is an enemy. When you perceive an enemy it is easy to prey on your fears.
Compromise after rational debate leads to harmony. Harmony helps us see we are all one people sharing one planet. When all those who want good for themselves and each other join together to create and sustain that good, it is easy to put fear aside and work on solutions.
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