Fazilat writes

#discussion #education
#social

I have been interested in Noam Chomsky's contribution to science these days. Well, what particularly, caught my attention is his remarks about current educational system:

The whole educational and professional training system is a very elaborate filter, which just weeds out people who are too independent, and who think for themselves, and who don't know how to be submissive, and so on – because they're dysfunctional to the institutions.


Yeah, we actually used to be trained to obey rules and accept everything given at schools. Whenever I brought new ideas as part of the Kamalak organization, school authorities disagreed because they just wanted "peace" for themselves. That's why I had to move to the district level, where I could organize more things for students.

Nowadays, I am teaching some school children and clearly see ignorance in their attitudes towards education – they had been programmed to prepare for tests instead of getting true knowledge.

I don't want to blame anyone, just observing the situation. Students aren't rewarded for their creative expressions at schools, but to the extent how well they "memorize" lessons. Usually, the independent ones are punished, since they seem to "pose threat" to the community. Doesn't it sound weird? But it's in most public schools.

One of my students, Zarina, a very smart girl, doesn't often communicate her ideas in the class because she is introverted. Teachers don't even try to let her show her full potential. But as far as I know her, she is very capable – only needs a chance to show herself with a bit of guidance and support. After my lessons, she feels energetic, motivated and unusually confident. As days pass, there is progress in her self-expression and one of her teachers at school thanked me for that. What the hell? It was their duty to help her grow in the first place.

She is just an example. What about other students? Who don't have access to exclusive books, events, projects? Who end up being in an environment where independence is not cultivated, but repressed? Where teachers are mediocre and can't do their jobs properly? Where system advocates unnecessary tests? Where subjects are shallow and programs are not designed well? Where students are forced to attend school and graduate it with empty brains?

School should teach students to think by themselves – it's also true for other educational institutions too. School should promote talents and give them opportunities. School should make free space for children, where they connect with others and exchange ideas. It should be a very interesting place, where kids can enjoy and get engaged in lots of different activities, so they will start assessing their strengths and weaknesses. For that psychologists must help. But I don't see any psychologist working hard in this sphere. Many bright minds are leaving schools without realizing what they are good at. Even worse, life after school is so hard that those kids have to ignore education, talents etc. and get to a job to make money right away. That's why I think during school years, what students do and learn can affect their future professional developments. Though, education system doesn't seem to care about these matters, unfortunately. The reason may be as Chomsky mentioned.

#just

Women have always been symbols of life and beauty. They are pearls of this universe, spirit of this Earth and love of their families. Naturally, with their care and kindness they nurture all the goodness in children who make up this society around us. Dear girls, I wish you keep being more feminine and having a gentle soul.

Happy Women's Day. 🥂

#writing

To love someone till the end of your life, even after that person dies must hurt a lot. But I think it's also impossible to fall in love twice. Either you won't dare to love anyone strongly or you will accept all the struggles awaiting you. Refusing to love because of its pain is not a good choice – it's like hating rain that actually helps flowers bloom. Being in pain, you can reach the deepest corners of your heart and discover some truth. Every time when I lose my close people, I find something else in me. This thing then turns out to be important for my spiritual growth. Though, these periods are hard to bear, you should go through them at least once in your lifetime to feel what it's like to live in reality or what it's like to look at life from a different angle. You can't be happy all the time. For happiness doesn't cultivate beautiful things. It's not surprise that great art is born usually when an artist is in deep sorrow.

#note_to_self

Everything is meaningless and everything is meaningful. It's depressing that nothing makes sense and encouraging that nothing is worth holding on to.

Winter has gone. Spring has come. Happy Ramadan. 💫

I am studying rigorously all the subjects important for my future, learning everything that I need and putting them into practice. At the same time, I am becoming the worst student at university. Since universities in Uzbekistan don't value knowledge, why should I worry if teachers like me or not 😁

They didn't check my translations I had done during the internship, yet they only looked at the "stamps" and signatures! I could have bought those stamps and signatures and lie down in bed doing nothing for a month, just chilling out. Now, they are telling me that my portfolio has a problem with a logo of the university, it can affect my grades. This is the beauty of our educational system. Why should I respect the people who don't respect my hard work and diligence?

I even wanted to build a collaborative environment between GSBE and our university. It seems, they aren't worth it. I don't want to apply for scholarships like Alisher Navoiy, where the number of scientific articles are more important than their quality. I don't need that sheet of paper.

#just_a_joke_but_serious

Why did I mention this?

Have you ever noticed that whenever you go somewhere to take a rest, let's say a park, there are a few benches. Then, you go to a cafe and have to buy something just to sit there. Or another example. We can't use a printer more than a given period based on its program, although it still works. We can't use the same clothes more than two-three years because of low quality or trends. We are sold unhealthy food and are made to go to hospitals to treat illnesses.

We actually pay for things, or are forced to pay because of the tricks used by "businessmen", consumer hunters. Just think about it. If everything was quality, if there weren't trends, if there wasn't manipulation, if people were less consumers, if people were smarter in decision-making, if their will power was stronger, if they weren't impulsive, then many businesses wouldn't survive.

In one research, it was stated that bad air quality affects people's brain in a way that they find it hard to control their emotions. That means, climate change is useful for someone's pockets. We might think eco-related projects are being done, but in reality the official bodies themselves don't benefit much from creating good conditions for people. If there are no problems and everyone is happy, who will work on solving problems? Noone. Even psychologists make more money if there are more mentally ill people.

That's a very complicated topic, especially after learning some stuff about business, I realized that in any business there is always some dark side. I can print books and benefit students, but it comes with cutting trees. If you try to fix something, you can ruin another.

Everything is interconnected. Sometimes, it feels like knowledge and analysis are huge burden when people around you don't want to know or analyse. Because everyone thinks they can't do anything. They just live. It's just living. Life is short. I hear it million times. Maybe the problem is also here. That they don't believe in their capabilities, especially if the forces are joined. Collective efforts usually give fruits. But as I can see it, everyone is busy with themselves, no they are made to focus on themselves because of capitalism. I can't think of another society.

In the past, people who changed societal structures must have been very different. I can't describe how much influence they had on public, but it was very powerful. I don't ask anyone to go to meetings and hold posters like in European countries, it's not helpful.

Things change only from inside. When there will be more educated and conscious people.

#writing #social

I am breaking rules.

Rules are meant to be broken. Why? Because they had also been created by people like you. Maybe even more stupid ones. Whether you will follow their strategies in the game or create your own.

I was focusing too much on justice, and how did it end?

Adaptation is for survival, those who want to live truly should be able to make their own rules – change situations from bad to good.

Now, I clearly support the idea of having obstacles on your way, they teach you to be smarter, stronger and calmer.

#thought

Discussion

Listening to working mothers, I feel how difficult it is for them to balance everything: jobs, household, children, husbands... The more they try to do good for their families and the more they try to work hard to earn money (in some families, men don't work), the less they care about their mental and physical health. It's saddening that women's actions are taken for granted in many uzbek communities, even some parents don't let their girls study, mentioning their duties as a future mother and a wife.

As a sister, daughter, aunt, student and simply a girl, I can't consume the fact how some of my peers are suffering because of stereotypes deeply rooted in our culture.

Professor Cheul Rhee from South Korea said in his tech company more than 55% of women work as IT specialists. Is it because women there are more motivated compared to Uzbekistan? No. According to Professor Min, in his lectures for marketing most of the girls are active and perform better than boys.

In GSBE 97% of the students in IT Business course comprised MEN, 80% of which have already decent jobs and don't want to study. The remaining 20% are willing to pursue their education in this area just because it seems a good investment for future.

I didn't hear anyone say: Oh, I love business! That's what confused professors. The motivation to study is quite low and no teaching method worked successfully.

However, I think there is another reason too. Women may be less smarter or less motivated than men, but they don't have a responsibility to earn money in some cases unlike men who are always pushed towards short-term gains by parents.

It's also interesting to see majority of girls in humanities, while men in finance or public sector. Recently, a training course specifically for "leader women" kicked off in GSBE, where they are taught more advanced approaches in leadership. I saw women taking part there were independent and quite rich owning at least their cars. I don't want to favor feminism, yet it's useful to find the root causes of the differences in women's lives.

Some women are just lucky to be born in families where they are supported psychologically and financially to build themselves, others are given freedom to find themselves, while the rest are deprived of many opportunities around. This is inequality. And it doesn't always mean poverty. It may also be a sign of lack of knowledge among older people. These days even common sense is getting rare.

I don't know how to describe the situation - if it was well stated beforehand, it could have been already solved. There are only assumptions in Uzbekistan, research work is just on paper. Nobody needs it, unfortunately.

They tell me women don't have rights here :(

Maybe, some women lack care?

#discussion

#note_to_self

Start working with official documents for applications/work as early as possible. Documents don't like procrastination. To get them signed is a hell if especially the organization takes every single word serious and the director is too much detail-oriented that a single mistake is not allowed.