The Challenge of Creating a Learning Society
August 15, 2024
It is challenging for me to explain what a learning society truly is, mainly because it is something that people are unfamiliar with and have difficulty envisioning. My first encounter with such a society was as a child, during my first visit to Caracas with my parents in the early 1970s. What struck me most—apart from the poverty in the hills—was the youthfulness of the population. There were so many students and young people, all constantly carrying books. They would gather in parks to read, discuss, and converse. They did everything young people do but also made time to study and focus on their personal development.
Since then, I have noticed how little reading happens on our island, even among academics. This leads to the persistence of outdated knowledge and concepts, making us too late to adapt to many things. However, we sometimes manage to be among the first to grasp something new. Boeli van Leeuwen wrote in "Geniale Anarchie" that we possess "Know How" but lack "Know Why," or words to that effect.
Later, when I arrived in the Netherlands, I observed how students were deeply engaged with knowledge. The difference in how students approach their education is stark: here, it’s not about acquiring knowledge and shaping oneself but merely passing courses—a 5.5 is considered good enough. However, we can’t entirely blame the youth for this; the older generation simply hasn’t succeeded in creating such a culture.
To complicate matters, the job market here prioritizes connections over competence. This reality explains why progress is often so slow on our island.
A learning society is more than just a place where people pass exams or acquire technical skills. It is a community where knowledge is valued for its own sake, and continuous learning and intellectual curiosity are the norms. Such a society encourages academic achievement, critical thinking, creativity, and personal growth. It is a place where education is about more than just obtaining a degree; it is about developing a deep understanding of the world and one’s place in it.
Building a learning society requires more than just education reforms—it demands a cultural shift. We need to foster a genuine curiosity in our youth, a desire to understand the “why” behind the “how.” We must also reshape our job market so that it rewards knowledge and competence rather than just social connections.
This cultural transformation will not happen overnight and won’t be easy. But if we want to move forward as a society, we need to create an environment where learning is a lifelong pursuit and knowledge is not just a means to an end but an end. Only then can we hope to overcome the challenges that have held us back for so long.
Miguel Goede
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