It’s interesting to notice the ancient Greek view of education. Their view was a lot different than ours. We try to cram our students with as much knowledge as they can take ignoring many other important values.
The ancient Greeks were raising Men with powerful Wills, heroic attitudes, with good and solid personal, community and ethical values, as well as the ability to influence (by means of rhetoric).
Character development and training of virtues played an important role in their education.
I’m sure they could learn lot from us about our scientific methods and overall analytic development, but I’m also sure we can learn a lot with them about character development and raising true Men.
(Men is meant here in the universal sense including men and women)
Just notice the oath the young cadets in Athens took.
“I will not dishonour my sacred arms; I will not desert my fellow-soldier by whose side I shall be set; I will do battle for my religion and my country whether aided or unaided. I will leave my country not less, but greater and more powerful than she is when committed to me ; I will reverently obey the citizens who shall act as judges ; I will obey the ordinances which have been established, and which in time to come shall be established, by natural will; and whosoever would destroy or disobey these ordinances, I will not suffer him but I will do battle for them whether aided or unaided; and I will honour the temples where my fathers worshipped; of these things the gods are my witnesses.”
With this oath, it would seem they are joining the Marines, yet this was just part of “those who come to manhood” of every ancient greek teenager of 17 years old.
Most of us didn’t had this kind of character education, and so we suffer from several “inner power sicknesses” like procrastination, lack of motivation, lack of influence and so on.
It’s not the ancient Greeks didn’t suffer from any of it and everything was perfect. Far from it. After all, one size rarely fits all, and education is not exception to this rule.
But at least they had a baseline to follow. They knew what it meant to be a person of character and with strong inner power. Their heroes and role models were war generals, heroic soldiers, philosophers, teachers and all those who have done of extraordinary feats.
Who are the role models of our children now?
Entertainers, like actors, singers filled with addiction issues who sing about b*tches and money.
Fortunately, even if we weren’t raised like an ancient Greek, it’s never to late to shape our character, develop inner power and become a true Man.
