At a meeting at the World Bank to discuss education, it was pointed out that introducing the subject 'thinking' into the curriculum would be difficult because there were no empty spaces. Putting in a new subject must mean reducing time spent on a traditional subject.
This is a very realistic and valid point of view. It is one I have heard many times and it was perfectly correct to point out this difficulty.
At the same time it is a very sobering thought to believe that education had evolved to a state where further evolution was not possible. This is exactly the sort of 'local equilibrium' which is so very, very difficult to change.
In a rapidly changing world, education is becoming increasingly irrelevant because it is a 'locked in' system where even the highest motivation to change can make little impression.
At the conference a journalist from the Philippines asked for an interview. She told me her children were using my thinking material in a 'gifted' programme. Under the umbrella of 'gifted' new things can be done. This is rather unfair on the less gifted who might, in fact, benefit even more from the 'thinking lessons' which are denied them.
Quite apart from the education system it is interesting to consider whether systems can evolve to a state that protects them from further evolution. This might be the case with interlocking systems where change is difficult unless simultaneous.
Edward de Bono
Nassau
22nd January 1999
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