Philistine and genius

"The character of a nation is moulded by the nature of its education"

Towards the end of the nineteenth and at the beginning of the twentieth century there took place a vast accumulation of wealth, due to a rapid development of science and practical arts. However, we have not yet learned how to properly utilize this wealth. Our young generation is trained by fear into discipline and obedience. We suppress the genius in the child, raise mediocrity, and cultivate the philistine.

This is the land of Philistinism, a land where all human, humane interests, independent thought, and courageous action are wanting. Philistines are uncritical, unconscious of defects and faults, living in the mire of self-contented stupidity and mediocrity.

The evolution of the philistine is the involution of genius. Philistinism is social decay. What you want is not the training of philistines, but the education of genius.

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Boris Sidis was a brillant psychologist and philosopher of education. He was also the father of the father of William James Sidis, a child prodigy with exceptional mathematical and linguistic skills.

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