When we were in math class, we were told that the area of a circle is pi times the radius squared (A=pi*r^2). The easiest thing for us to do when presented with this formula was to accept as true. In doing so, we were demonstrating pragmatism. In many instances pragmatism can be very helpful because it allows us to accept information. However, constantly accepting information with little to no proof can be detrimental, and this is evident in American society today.
Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish when we should or should not be pragmatic. Young kids struggle in this respect. Children are readily accepting of information, and they very rarely pause to wonder if what they are being told is the truth. This is why children often have the same values and beliefs as their parents. They are inclined to accept all of the information that their parents tell them as true. Children are also influenced by teachers, friends, other family members, television, and social media. Pragmatism helps kids to understand the world faster, but being pragmatic can make their belief system malleable.
We see this happening with children today. They are constantly receiving slanted information and are having great difficulty distinguishing reality from fiction as they get older. We all laugh when someone says they are going to turn a cat into a dog, but a large portion of our society believes girls can be changed into boys. Kids are also being told that people are racist and our institutions are inherently racist. They are told white men hold too much power and they try to suppress women and racial minorities. They are told there is a stigma towards people with disabilities and mental health problems. They are told rich people are greedy and evil and oppress the poor. Many children who are naturally pragmatic do not question what they are told.
Pragmatic adults have also fallen victim to lies. Many women who may have preferred to stay home and raise children find themselves in careers, because society has set this as an expectation. How does society view stay-at-home moms? Do you believe vaccines are good for you? Do you believe public grants are free money? Do you believe the government has your best interests in mind? Do you believe it’s the gun that kills people or do you believe people kill people?
Today, men are told they can’t have an opinion on a topic like abortion because they are men and cannot possibly know what it would be like to be in a situation where they needed an abortion. We are told white people are not qualified to speak on the topic of racism, because racism against white people does not exist. Schools and libraries select books to include based on the skin color of the author and not the information in the book. When a black person says, “I experienced discrimination when a white person was waited on before me,” their statement is expected to be accepted without question or possible alternative explanation. After all, a white person could not possibly understand a black person’s lived experience, a man could not understand the lived experience of a woman, and a straight person could not possibly understand the lived experience of a gay person.
When the postmodernist idea that there is no objective truth is paired with pragmatism, the results are disastrous. It is the synthesis of these concepts that is sending our society into a tailspin. Pragmatism can help us to understand the world by accepting sensible information as true, but sometimes information is not true although it seems to be. Evil actors in our world are using the pragmatism of children to rapidly change the beliefs of our society, and this has been happening for many years. Our children need to be encouraged to ask questions and challenge information. Critical thinking must return to classrooms and to society.
An inquisitive mind can learn to discern truth from lies, but it takes an interest in doing so.
Ronald Reagan – Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.