Thesis Project Proposal & March News Paper Article

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World Understanding: Five World Views

There are five basic world views: Secular Humanism, Marxism/Leninism, Judeo/Christian, and Cosmic Humanism.

The founding fathers of the United States wrote freedom of expression for all cultures into the Constitution. They never wanted only one view to become the formal religion of the state. True education never takes place in a vacuum either. Each view must be analyzed and interpreted accurately to fully understand the thinking of each ethnic group of the world's people. Then and only then can one be said to understand others.

Out of the 1960's civil rights movement came a new consciousness that the dominant European culture was not allowing full expression of other identities, especially women and people of color. This idea begin to expand to include the enormous cultural differences in American life. The dream that everyone should have a chance to succeed grew into what was called "Multiculturalism.

Later other groups that were not interested in learning or celebrating cultures joined the movement. They started to untie multiculturalism from its original moorings, making it into a new kind of bureacracy that denies any culture with standards and beliefs from expressing their thoughts. This new group under the same banner of multiculturalism is actually an anti-cultural movement, splintering our nation's diverse ethnic groups into chaos through intimidation. Now we are seeing "multi" become "anti" culturalism; especially those that have any standards of right and wrong.

It has been my observation that students need a basis for making decisions. Then they can take action in a consistent rather than an impulsive manner, with purpose and understanding, for their own personal integrity. Therefore another elective course is needed in our current art curriculum, "Artistic Understanding". This new elective class, "World Understanding", would give art students a firm platform for formulating their own points of view to answer life's searching questions. The students would gain a comprehensive grasp of major ideas, issues and personalities that have shaped the twentieth century and will continue to shape the twenty first. They would be able to identify great works of art, from each world view and be able to discuss the intent, and its affectiveness. They would look at the history, economics, politics, law, sociology, ethics, psychology, science, philosophy, and theology, that is unique to each of the world views.

I propose to do qualitative research by writing,"World Understanding" which will return our focus to a more open minded approach in educating our youth than we now have; by giving art students an opportunity to know and understand the five world views accurately and equally with the words and artistic examples of their own proponents. Hopefully, we will gain art students with a more informed view of our world, and a realization of how a world view affects its art and culture.

-- Anonymous, March 17, 1999

Answers

Hi Bruce, Terry Anderson will be getting back to you to help you focus your topic as you continue with your five world views. I know you want to go in this direction and it will work out to bring about some findings that will be useable. Keep at it! Mary Ann

-- Anonymous, March 21, 1999

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