Idea Seekers!
In a world beset by crises, including populism and science denial, we need citizens with the character virtue of being ‘ideas-engaged’: individuals who seek out ideas beneficial to themselves and their communities, while rejecting notions that are harmful. Current research suggests, however, that lower-educated citizens and economically deprived groups can fail to engage with the most beneficial ideas (e.g. those promoting healthier lifestyles, improved education or care for the environment). We are also witnessing increasing numbers of people more prone to engaging with harmful ideas, including fake news, conspiracy theories and emotionally manipulative populism.
Clues for how to facilitate ideas-engagement are emerging from research undertaken by myself and colleagues over the last few years and point to a curriculum that attends to students’ critical thinking, their social networks and their ability to be forward-thinking.
Ideas Engagement and the Role of Critical Thinking
To begin with, any new curriculum must have, as a primary aim, a focus on encouraging students to seek out new ideas and perspectives, engage with scientific and technological discoveries, explore culture, arts and literature, and be awed by philosophy. Students likewise should be encouraged to stay informed about political, economic and health-related events and stay abreast of the news. In doing so, students should be encouraged and supported to differentiate between evidence-based knowledge and misinformation. This is particularly important given the propensity of 'dark ideas' such as conspiracy theories to thrive in the absence of critical scrutiny.