A635.1.3.RB - 21st Century Enlightenment

            The Enlightenment was not a single period in history; instead, there were several periods of time which it took place which has brought us to where we are today. Enlightenment (2009) shared a quote by Immanuel Kant (1784) who stated “What is Enlightenment”? “Dare to know, have courage to use your own reason”. Fast forward 200 years, times have changed and technology has advanced, we no longer share the same values that were important during the original enlightenment. How has the 21st-century enlightenment changed society and the individual ability to understand their own capabilities? Do we place education on a pedestal and forget to value humans for their worth and abilities?

            Taylor (2010) shared that to live differently involves thinking differently and it involves seeing ourselves and the world from a new perspective. We live in a fast-paced world and technology has taken off in the last few decades, in the western society it is difficult for individuals to slow down and think rationally to make well thought out decisions that steer clear from the social norm. This is counterproductive to the original idea of the enlightenment, which was to have courage to use one’s own reasoning to make decisions. Instead, we are dependent upon everyone believing and buying into our personal beliefs, which are posted on social media and the internet, we fail to have our own thoughts or opinions to make a reasonable decision and stand by them. Taylor (2010) argued that the 21st-century enlightenment should champion a more self-aware, socially embedded, model of autonomy that recognizes our frailties and limitations. He further goes on to explain that conscious thought is only part of what drives our behavior.

            For example, I am in a supervisor position at work and I have twelve individuals who I work with daily. It is unreasonable to expect them all to share the same work ethic, business practices, and values that I do. This would not allow room for growth and autonomous work on their part. Instead, to understand them and value their work ethic, abilities, and knowledge I must understand and use emotional intelligence which is explained by Daniel Goleman (n.d.) as being able to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions and the ability to understand and manage others emotions. For me, it is connecting and understanding them as individuals. Taylor (n.d.) shared for the 21^st century, we need to have empathy but it is a complicated system on the global, interpersonal, and communal scale. On a small scale, my work ethic and beliefs to stay connected in understanding others I must practice empathy, understanding, and emotional intelligence each day.

            In the video, Taylor (2010) shared that the emphasis of education is cliché as the most valuable resource in a global knowledge economy, he goes on to argue that empathic capacity is equally important. On one hand, education is placed at the top of what our society values and parents often promote this thinking in their children from a young age; it is pushed as the most valuable tool an individual can have because an education can take us places in life we never dreamed were possible. But an education is not just sitting in a classroom studying textbooks and reciting information, it is the ability to learn and understand the information and use that knowledge through life. This takes us into learning how to be empathic humans and see circumstances from different perspectives. Beyond education, we must learn how to understand and see the world subjectively to practice empathy for others. In the video, Taylor (n.d) shared a quote by Margaret Meade “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that has”.

            In conclusion, Taylor makes many great points about the 21st-century enlightenment and how it impacts humans. I learned from this that there is more to life than just education alone, although I have known this but the emphasis on education alone is not the most valuable tool for life. On a deeper level, I must remember empathy, compassion, and I must have the ability to see the world and others from different perspectives and respect their view even if it does not align with my perspective.

ENLIGHTENMENT. (2009). Retrieved March 25, 2017, from History website: http://www.history.com/topics/enlightenment

Goleman, D. (n.d.). Emotional Intelligence. Retrieved March 25, 2017, from Daniel Golemand website: 

     http://www.danielgoleman.info/topics/emotional-intelligence/ 

Taylor, M. (2010, August 19). RSA ANIMATE: 21st Century Enlightenment [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC7ANGMy0yo