Living Better

We are watching. I had a discussion with a friend recently about whether education was a force for peace. Education in my view is not simply teaching someone a specific vocation. Education is at the heart of how we improve. It is the sharing of a better way. There is something that drives us forward. Collectively as we have learnt about each other and the world, we have learnt to engage with people we don't understand. Power over people has been ripped from hereditary families and fewer people have died in games of thrones.  The power of governments has then been reduced by putting in place checks and balances. The power of majorities to impose themselves on minorities is waning. We are treating each other better. We are living better. That is what I think education is.

Education is part of why reality is less of a Game of Thrones

Part of our bumpy long term improvement comes from transparency. Information is becoming harder to hide. In George Orwell's 1984, we had the image of a Government who is always watching. Technology is bringing about that transparency, but instead of Big Brother - we are watching. It is becoming more and more difficult for those who cling to ideas that prevent the world moving forward from doing so. I found the clip below very inspiring. The simple idea that you will not get away with it has to impact behaviour and make it far harder to conspire. The gains and rewards start to slip away in comparison to the chance of getting caught.