'Maybe children understand that categories can be applied to things but not people. That gives me hope for the future.' Photo: by Eric Prouzet on Unsplash.
‘Some differences which seem obvious to me are invisible to my grandchildren.’
Thought for the week: Deborah Jane spots the difference
I have been thinking about Catherine Henderson’s article on classifying things (31 July), which I loved. Yes, artificial, culturally-created divisions are the source of much world conflict, encouraging us to see difference negatively. No one could deny the need for classifications in science and medicine but it’s nonsensical to believe we can separate ourselves from nature. Equally, mind and spirit cannot be understood as separate from the body. Meanwhile our education system seems designed to restrict opportunities rather than open them up. Children are taught English, Maths, Science, Art, Sport, Humanities and so on, as if these were separate subjects rather than simply different ways of understanding. Worse still, subjects are ranked in a hierarchy of value and students are required to choose between them in their early teens.
