@pRopaaNS:
Indeed, but for me personally I don't value that much what other people thing and recognize about me and also I've accepted "unfairness" as truth. As result I don't really care too much about those things anymore, I just want to find something I myself want to do and would feel proud for accomplishing, not that I want to do something just to get recognized by other people. Perhabs you can call me idiot if you value recognition.
Recognition in and of itself is not important, but again, if you get recognized for something, you must produce more. It becomes more problematic in things like scientific labs where they basically are required to churn out paper after paper to show their results and say they're productive. But recognition alone cannot be the crux of the pursuit of knowledge or work, because such a hollow reason for work will lead to a hollow existence. Likewise, doing something you hate for the rest of your life is pure misery.
I don't think that instincts cannot be taught, it's just that instinct doesn't directly translate into language. It's a mess in our brains which we always have to translate in some way of form, including language which we use. I think that bigger problem is how to teach children about unstability of emotions and how they negatively affect our decisions. I'm not even sure if it would be ethical to teach children how misleading emotions can be, because it can make impression like we're teaching them to be emotionless. Apart from it being something that haven't been practiced yet, I think that ethics is the main reason which prevents us from taking initiative for teaching children more about instinct.
Instinctually, I think the thing about parenting is that parents, if they're good parents of course, are looking out for the welfare of their child. In that sense, a lot of them just want to curb a few things that, in excess, may be detrimental to the child overall. Self control is the opposing force to instinct, and to teach children when something is right and when something is wrong is something that sometimes must be done to cement it into their children. But of course, too much of something is simply excess, and keeping them in that state for too long either leads to dependency or rebellion.
I mean, school is school. You go there to pick up a few facts and solve a few problems, all encompassed under the idea of learning. Society's role in the placement of school is to produce people who can make a contribution to society and that's why there is the promise of education publically. But it also serves as a place for children to grow up and learn to interact with one another. Overall, I'd say that things like instinct and intuition are things our role models such as our parents are supposed to help guide us to and nurture more so than to place more of that responsibility on the education system. Not to say that you don't get some people skills from school, but instinct is just hard to teach because everyone is different and has a different feel and instinct than the person sitting next to them. Some people are more hotheaded, others are levelheaded. It simply is impossible to have a glove-tight fit for everyone to nurture their instincts in any way but experience.
Well, I guess "why" part alone doesn't cut it and I was quite vague about this part. All I know is that I don't feel like current educational system recognizes how important it is to engage students into learning on their own and how to decrease impression of education being forced on them.
Again, I would assert that more on the grade school level, especially for the primary level. Likewise, there has been a culture that used to develop (up until at least in the last decade) that you just go through school, get a college degree, and get a comfy job. But that culture has since proven difficult due to the ever increasing competition.
In many ways, Intelligence, to me, is not anything particularly set and is kind of like evaluating a company to invest in. Some of the brightest people are particularly dull in other areas. and those that just squander their potential have little value and little to offer. What really matters is the potential the individual has because that is the real marker for evolution. If they have the capacity to grow, then that is much more valuable than someone who has peaked only a little ways higher than the rest.
I don't know if the educational system is disparaging of that. For me I had the right opportunities at the right time, and I try not to take that for granted. I think, the thing crippling such a thinking process of reasoning and thinking on your own is more on a resource based level and that many areas simply do not have the budget to do something on a more personal level. It is not because society disapproves of such a thought process but simply because society cannot sustain promoting such a thought process.
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
@Smudger:
It's very refreshing to see so many of you with such a great insight into this topic.
One thing I'm keen to know is what book/books you would recommend towards improving, or expanding ones intellect. And yes this is a broad question seeming as it covers just about everything ever written. But still; if any of you have read a life changing book of any sort, I'd be keen to know what it was, and how it has made an impact on yourself. No matter how small or obscure it is.
There really is nothing you could get that's like Hanon's "Virtuoso Pianist in 60 exercises" when it comes to smarts.
So really… just explore! Divulge in pretty much anything that piques your interest. Read stories for children with profound meaning behind them like "The Little Prince." Or if you want a short history of nearly everything, read "A Short History of Nearly Everything." If you want to learn how to pick stocks, read "The Intelligent Investor."
The world is your oyster!