The documentary film, “Man on Wire,” tells about Philippe Petit’s 1974 stunning high wire walk between New York’s Twin Trade Towers. Petit, and his accomplices, without the approval or knowledge of the authorities, managed to secure a wire between the two Trade Towers, and then early on the morning of August 7, 1974, Petit created a 45 minute performance at 110 stories above the ground, not stopping until the police threatened to remove him with a helicopter.
On the morning of August 7, 1974, New Yorkers were astounded to see a man, Philippe Petit, walking on a wire strung between the two Twin Trade Towers.
The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, and it is now on Netflix. It’s a movie I highly recommend.
This film is thought provoking. It shows how the determination and vision of one person can accomplish the miraculous. It shows how the human imagination can lead to stunning results.
What is mind boggling is Petit’s single minded focus, his lifetime of disciplined practice, his absolute confidence, his character, his courage. Can you imagine taking that first step from the building to the wire? What is it that drives any human toward excellence? How is it that some humans are strong willed and inspired to do the extraordinary?
As I continue my contemplation for the book I’m determined to write, “Kettering Public Education In 2030,” it seems to me that in the future we will need an educational system that will encourage a blooming of individuals like Philippe Petit. As it is, in America we talk the talk of individualism. We like to think that as a society we encourage individuals to develop strong character, to be independent thinkers, entrepreneurs. But, our educational system, as it is practiced, is all about imposing conformity. American schools, in general, practice the Japanese saying, “The nail that stands up must be pounded down.”
In my view, in the future, When Computers Are Billions Of Times More Intelligent Than Humans, the focus of human education necessarily will be centered not on developing what is now defined as intellectual capacity, but on developing those qualities that most elevate humans — qualities of virtue, qualities of character.
In the future, the height of human accomplishment will be defined by those qualities that are most uniquely human, those most un-machine like. The attainment of trivial knowledge — facts, algorithms — someday will seem unimportant, because such knowledge will be easily accessible via a machine. Instead, the goal of education will be the attainment of self knowledge, and an integrated holistic point of view that will empower and thoughtful, harmonious and useful life. Humans will seek to attain their human potential, their potential for happiness. Humans will seek to become the most human humans they can possibly become.
When computers are billions of times more intelligent than humans, what schools will recognize as worthy of highest praise will not be displays of intellect, but, rather they will recognize those indicators showing the capacity to enjoy life, the capacity and inclination to actualize the best aspects of one’s character, the capacity to experience and develop and demonstrate virtue.
It seems an unreasonable idea that the elevated state accomplished by the most exceptional humans will one day be the state every human will aspire to reach. You may argue, “But everyone can’t be Einstein.” But, when machines are billions of times more intelligent than humans, then everyone will have access to much more intelligence than what was available to the historical Einstein who died in 1955. And besides, on closer inspection, it will be found that the secret to Einstein’s success was not intellect, but character, just as the secret to Philippe Petit’s success was not athletic ability, but character.
Humanity is on a wire, and the chance for our collective fall into a chasm of absolute destruction is more apparent now than ever before. The contemplation of the character and virtue that empowered Philippe Petit’s success — 110 stories up in the air — is a contemplation of how and why the human race may yet save itself. It seems to me, In The Future, Education Will Seek To Develop Character More Than Intellect.
See:
- How Did Einstein Become Einstein? : Saturday, April 14, 2007
- When Computers Are Billions Of Times More Intelligent Than Humans — What Should Be The Aims Of Education?: April 12th, 2011
- What Is The Educational System That Would Empower An Explosion Of Virtue?: April 21st, 2011
- Schools Of The Future Will Center On Development Of Virtue, The Whole Person: May 2nd, 2011
