“An Ancient Solution to Our Current Crisis of Disconnection”

Here’s a great article for anyone that believes that all new problems are just old problems hidden in different clothing.  If you believe this, you are going to love the solution John Bowe offers for the polarization and disconnectedness that we are currently experiencing in modern day America.

Let’s start teaching rhetoric again, the ancient art of public speaking. He argues that our educational system fails to teach essential communication skills, contributing to societal alienation. In ancient Greece and Western Europe, students learned rhetoric, which combined logic, social skills, critical thinking, and speech. In today’s educational world, there is a major movement to address some of these skills – what educators call social emotional learning – which faces headwinds from some that argue that the primary purpose of school is to provide academic training.

To Bowe, that’s the problem.

Today, our education focuses more on knowledge and technical skills, neglecting the importance of speech. Bowe highlights the transformative power of speech training, sharing personal anecdotes and supporting evidence from studies and experts like Hannah Hobson. He advocates for incorporating speech training in middle and high school curricula, emphasizing its role in enhancing mental well-being and social competence.

Neuroscience research also supports Bowe’s claims.  When we share experiences and express ourselves verbally within a group, mirror neurons in our brains begin aligning to each other which creates calm, trusting environments for learning.  Yes, you heard it right.  Speech and conversation make our brains healthier.

Bowe concludes by stressing the significance of effective communication skills. He highlights their historical importance and argues for their reintroduction in modern education to address current social challenges and promote a more connected, engaged society.  With all the texts, posts and tweets we use to communicate these days, count me in as someone who is listening to what Bowe is saying here.

At Teach Different, we take it to the next level and have developed a conversation technique that is easily learned and applied in just about any setting to create an environment for connection.  Our Podcast is  worth a listen when you have the time for a conversation that might even change your life.