The poor understanding of two thought cultures

Mental Aptitudes from Rote Learning.

There appears also to be a number of benefits that derive simply from the well conducted practice of rote learning, even should the material not be Chinese classics. Amongt these benefits appear to be the following.

1) Joy.Rote learning can encourage a feeling of joy in learning through the use of chanting and speaking aloud in unison with other members of a class. This ensures a positive mental attitude to the demands and disciplines of learning, even if they later have to be managed in a less supportive and social environment.

2) Intuition.The early sense of achievement and empowerment builds an intuitive understanding of the rewards derived from learning and mastery of what is at first unfamiliar material. This leads to an intuitive appetite for further disciplined learning, which nurtures the further growth of a person in society confident in an ability to trust a mature intuition in making spontaneous and correct life judgments.

3) Confidence.A natural confidence towards learning becomes fundamental because this has become a part of one's nature in a positive, nurturing family type environment. What may seem a daunting challenge for others becomes little more than another stroll amongst the increasingly familiar knowledge gardens of stored wisdom.

4) Trust.There is the early establishment of trust and confidence in teachers and mentors that encourages the search for more such figures even as one matures and takes on more adult responsibilities.

5) Focus.The habits of routine and relaxed discipline cultivated by this type of education will tend to inspire interest and commitment from other teachers later in a person's life as the foundations of disciplined, focused behaviour are easily recognized.

6) Ritual.This form of disciplined learning facilitates other forms of social and personal discipline that equip young people at a very early age with trusted rituals and habits of discretion that lead to easy, pleasant and valuable social skills.

Introduction

For almost half a century, I have been fascinated by two major contrasting energies informing change in the global community. The questions, perceptions and conclusions that have led me over that time have rarely been guided by academic studies. From time to time, academic work may have informed aspects of my thinking. Generally, however, mainstream academic work seems to take place within strictly predetermined frameworks, dictated by several centuries of Anglo-American global order. These seem to be designed to deliberately avoid many of the most important issues that have arisen over that half century. The limits of academic work have now begun to fundamentally undermine the capacity of Western leaders to manage their future in the 21^st Century.

The major energy that has captured my interest derives from a pervasive Chinese civilizationshaped by a superior tradition of education. In various ways, this is shared throughout East and South East Asia. This is an area of over two billion people. In the second decade of the 21^st Century, this area has the world's greatest production capacity, hi-tech work skills and financial reserves.

The second energy derives from a Western civilisation in crisis, where poorly developed habits of thought have given rise to forms of aggressive economic and political action that have proven increasingly counterproductive. Western education norms and theoretical habits have lackedthe mental discipline, cultural richness and strategic subtlety common wherever one finds the influence of Chinese civilisation. Intriguingly, these latter qualities have been most evident in national administrations in Asia but largely absent in both academia and national administrations in the West.