Has life become too easy?
As a school teacher, I think I hear the words “This is too hard” on a daily basis. Today, when I handed out the novel Call of the Wild to my 8th-9th grade English class, I had a student say, before even opening the book, “this is too hard; I’m not going to do it.” He then pushed the book aside, pulled the hood of his hoodie over his head, and put his head on his desk.
After fielding a few questions from students about their reading assignment (I assigned the first 40 pages to be read by Monday), I went and talked to the student, who told me that I couldn’t expect so much of him because he couldn’t do it. I tried to explain to him that he was more than capable of reading the book, which he is, and that I thought that he would like it. He loved the book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, and I told him that London’s classic had some similar themes that he might enjoy.
“It’s too hard; I can’t do it” was his reply again as he returned his head to his desk. I’ll try again tomorrow.
It seems like I’m having this conversation with students a lot this year, like students are giving up before even trying. Another one of my students swears up and down that he can’t do any homework because I give too much. When I ask why he can’t at least do some, he replies that it stresses him out too badly. I’m not sure how to counter that one.
My question then as I push forward is this: have we as a society become apathetic as life has become easier? Have modern conveniences made us lazy and almost afraid of hard work?
I’m not sure that there’s an easy answer to this question, but I do think that it has happened to some degree. In the age of easy information, easy entertainment, and easy gratification, it is harder to find intrinsic motivations for learning and other types of self improvement. Most people don’t believe that school has value beyond the economic (educated people get better jobs), and that outlook has been detrimental to an already dysfunctional school system.
Now, I’m not the type of person that just likes to whine about the ills of society. I would much rather propose solutions or alternatives than just complain that things aren’t right. For the problem of apathy, I think that it begins at home. Parents need to install a love of work and of learning in their children at an early age. They need to give their kids responsibilities when they are young, and they need to expect that those responsibilities will be met. Parents need to turn off the TV and read with their kids, and they need to take an active role in the education of their children. If they don’t, this apathy is only going to get worse.
For those parents who do these things, I thank you. As a father and an educator, I am truly grateful for the difference that you are helping to make in our country and our world.
/end of soapbox
