Political Evil: It's Not What You Think (But Cheney IS Evil)

This morning, I heard a fascinating interview with Alan Wolfe, Boston College professor and author of the new book, Political Evil: What It Is and How to Combat It. 

Wolfe discusses morality, genocide, American involvement (or lack thereof) in foreign wars, and the niggling question that bothers all progressives: shouldn't there have been a war crimes trial for George W. Bush and Cheney? And, did their extreme actions post-9/11 make things better, or worse?

Wolfe answers these questions and does so bravely--no typical equivocating or apologizing for having strong views. 

If only we could see more honest writing of this sort! In the meantime, I'm reading Wolfe's book and urge others to do the same. 

For more on Political Evil, read:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/books/review/political-evil-by-alan-wolfe-book-review.html?_r=1&ref=alanwolfe

Psstt...The PSATs Count; Take Them Seriously!

As a teacher and a test prep tutor, let me just admit to one thing that really burns my ass: the PSATs are typically not emphasized by either schools or most teachers of sophomores and juniors.

Instead, innocent students entering their all-important junior year (the primary year of high school that I taught, and my favorite age student) are thrown into the lion's den after being told at the last minute, "The PSAT doesn't really count; don't worry about it!"

Then they totally freak out when they get their (usually rather bad) PSAT scores.

Why are teachers and/or admin failing to mention the PSAT until a week or so before the test, and then brushing it off as no big deal?

Are we as a society too afraid of putting pressure on our kids?

Are we feeling guilty or remiss that there hasn't, realistically, been time to cover PSAT prep in an already jam-packed English curriculum?

A little pressure on our kids can actually be a good thing, and I speak from the wide experience of having many students and tutees whose parents demand absolute perfection..."absolute" is a bit much, I agree, but striving for a top score is not a foolhardy past-time. 

I have personally seen kids who do not even speak English study for two years, master the language, and then ace the Verbal SAT, so I know that anything can be done. Anything. Nothing is impossible; it just takes work.

I have also seen some alarmingly poor PSAT scores in native English speakers and heretofore decent students. 

I have seen entire families shocked to realize that no one ever told them that the PSAT (despite the P standing for  Preliminary) is pretty important. No, it doesn't count for college admission, but it does count quite a bit for courting colleges' interest.

One good thing about the harsh truth of low PSAT scores is that then people are motivated to really prepare for the SAT, and they still have a good year to get serious. 

Here's the bad thing: what isn't often mentioned is the fact that the PSAT--a excellent chance to win a National Merit or other scholarship and score brownie points with colleges, and a great opportunity to truly test how prepared a student is for the SAT--has been wasted. Not only that, but what has also been ignored is the fact that good PSAT scores basically guarantee stellar SAT performance, so by preparing for the PSAT, students would be way ahead of the game.  (We have to start early in order to master the tested skills and the all-important vocab and strategy.)

So, what's the solution? Is it more in-class test prep and more teaching to the test? No. 

As a teacher, I understand that there is not much time in the high school English class day to do PSAT prep in addition to the myriad other important tasks (Novel reading! Essay writing! Notice that both the reading and writing done in English is absolutely essential to the PSAT or any other standardized test) that must be accomplished. 

The only solution is for kids to get hardcore PSAT preparation on the outside; families will have to take the initiative to seek out PSAT courses or tutoring for their kids...and in the meantime, the other way that people can help themselves is by realizing that kids need to read as much as possible in order to ensure verbal exam success. 

I have written before that wide reading is honestly what separates the superior students/thinkers/test-takers from the average ones. Reading starts at basically birth...we have to read to our kids every day (I typically read about an hour to my kids...and I still do! Reading never ends) in order to get them interested in words and books. Kids also need to read because it's an activity that exercises their brains.

So read more. Seek out PSAT prep and don't blame English teachers--except for the fact that they may not have warned you to take the PSAT seriously. I do not pretend to understand why this is, but maybe they are busy; maybe they think your PSAT is just a benchmark...still, there is no excuse not to do the best that you can, so get ready to do your best.  It is really up to YOU, the student.

Remember, the PSAT is a big deal; please study hard!

The Line Between Good and Evil; Making Choices to be Heroic

M.C. Escher, Angels and Devils

A major theme of the book I've just written (the one that will be out very soon) is evil vs. good. That sounds ominous and creepy, I know.

So let me explain: I was inspired a while ago by a famous TED talk that social psychologist Philip Zimbardo gave in 2008:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsFEV35tWsg

In this talk, Zimbardo defines evil as the exercise of power to intentionally hurt people physically and/or mortally, to destroy people psychologically...and to commit crimes against humanity.

To me, this was spot on. It made me realize (not that I hadn't quite realized it before) that I had recently been affected by precisely this type of evil, by the use of power against largely powerless me (just a teacher) with the clear and relentless intention to hurt me--both in terms of my livelihood and psychologically.

The intention to hurt others (not accidental hurt; purposeful hurt) can only be described as evil.  "Evil" sounds like a harsh word, but there is no other classification that fits. In fact, intentional, planned murder is first degree murder, the most heinous crime, and the one that comes with the stiffest penalty.

What I noticed in Zimbardo's talk is that he classifies watching evil being done to others, while sitting back passively and not saying or doing anything to stop it, as evil, too. It may not be the same severity of evil, but it is on the scale of evil nonetheless.

My college classes have recently been discussing good vs. evil, and several students remarked on the fact that people may not take action against evil because they are simply shocked.

This is true. Should we blame the shocked, passive witnesses to evil for the fact that they were stunned by what they saw? I don't think so (it only takes one person to try to stop the act of evil; it doesn't take everyone). 

What about the cowards who say nothing because they fear reprisal, or difficulties if they get involved? That's another classic human response: to simply stay out of it. 

Is saying nothing evil? It certainly can be. I do think that shutting up and letting someone get attacked is on the bad side of behavior, but I have empathy for people who are scared or worried about themselves or their own families (still, we should hope that someone out there is not a coward, shouldn't we?).

As I told my classes, when I was just a kid I stopped a bully from beating up a little boy. That act of bravery (or stupidity) then cost me four long years of being the bully's new victim. This guy used to chase me all over the place and once threatened to put firecrackers in my mouth. 

Would I stand up to a bully like this again? I will be honest: I have had plenty of moments where I thought, "Life would have been much easier if I had not done that."

And yet, it is in my nature to speak out against even small acts of evil. It is who I am, and my humanity rises up, and I think: I can't let this happen to someone else; I just can't. So I speak out.

That's in my book. My memoir, Too Cool for School, is about my teaching, but it's also about blowing the whistle on evil. It's about daring to stand up for my values and intention and style and politics. 

Anyone else who was there and who didn't dare to speak up to stop the attack on me, I cannot blame you...and yet, I do. I feel somewhat bad about this--it is very, very difficult to forgive and forget, because the truth is that I shouldn't have had to bear all the pressure by myself. 

I know it's hard to stand up for others, though. I know it's scary. But just because it's difficult doesn't mean--in my opinion--it shouldn't be done. After all, letting evil happen to others and not trying to stop it only ensures that the same type of evil attack will eventually come for you...and who will be there to help you when you need it? Probably no one. 

So--as I am often asked now--was it worth it? I say: if my story keeps someone else from experiencing a similar attack, then yes. If my story helps to prevent unwarranted persecution of other teachers, and if it sends a strong message to people who intentionally try to hurt others (or those in positions of leadership who sit back and let people such as myself get hurt), then yes: I did my job.

We all have to do our jobs, and a big part of the job of being alive is looking out for other people, and not standing by mutely when someone else is getting hurt. Another part is not intentionally hurting other people...

If we can do those very basic things, then no one can ever say that we are evil. Even if good and bad resides in all of us, and even if we are each only a hair's breadth away from using our power (in any situation) to commit an act of evil.