Is the purpose of education to change the world?

'Education is not just about information. It's about formation.' This was the line that I came across while attending classes at ThinkC during my high school. It beautifully states that the main aim of education is to bring about a change in the world through the intellectual formation of human minds. The notion behind educating an individual is that he is made capable of applying what he has learnt in the process of being "educated." If education was just about remembering facts and figures, then the most educated class of people would only have been quiz masters.

In the process of developing ourselves to face the real world we encounter problems and various other issues which we need to put in order so that we can solve the problems faced by the world. Education, besides being an integral part of a man's life also helps in bringing reforms and develop schools of thoughts.

The erudite duo, Larry Page and Sergey Brin who graduated from Stanford University are not unknown to anybody. The founders of Google, gained knowledge and realised its application to solve a variety of problems by developing a "pagerank" algorithm which would distinguish between more relevant pages and the irrelevant ones. They brought about a reform in the world by helping people do faster searches. At a time when none paid heed to search technology, the "Google Guys" took up the issue to give refined results. They have made their mark in the history of internet and their names will forever remain in the sands of time.

At the school level, I was educated in two institutions- The Frank Anthony Public School and a revered boarding school, Mayo College, Ajmer. Both these institutions have instilled in me a sense that I should develop myself in such a way that I can return what I have gained from the society. I learnt to make relations and maintain them. I also learnt the importance of getting educated in a bookish way- to simplify situations and know about the ready-made solutions.

It's easy to say that education is essential to bring about a change. People like Albert Einstein brought about changes by solving issues which could have troubled the 21st century scientists. The people who cannot bring about change in the society are good only for aesthetic purposes. Education does not only require an intellect, it can also mean excelling in various other forms such as art. There is nothing which can supplant education if global changes are required to be made for a better life.

Is growth necessary to produce a happy and productive life?

Countries, companies and common people are striving for development. Individuals are seeking a better life and are determined to achieve their goals. Achieving one's goals and living a better life is what one aspires for and happiness is the product of the reaction between one's ambition and achievement. Growth can be in the form of better wealth, fame, control or power in the society or even achieving one's self actualization needs in the form of wisdom. In what form it is achieved it is never undesirable.

This was illustrated by the Prince Dance Group, the winners of India's Got Talent, a reality show aired on Indian television. This group comprised poor farmers who toiled hard to earn a day's meal. The reality show was a turning point in their lives. They won the adulation of all the viewers. After winning the contest, they got a sea of opportunities to perform in India as well as overseas. This changed their lives for the better and they now live in better conditions and lead a happier life.

They saw growth come to them in the form of wealth, fame and success. Their life was rendered more productive. Performing arts acted as a spur for them to produce something new in the dance forms they endorsed. They showed the world a dance style in which formations played a major role.

Another example which removes the cloud from this issue and illustrates the fact that growth clearly is necessary for one to lead a happy and productive life is the growth of human beings in the course of their lives. We grow spiritually and intellectually. Our actions serve as an example which juniors could follow. From infancy to adulthood we are struck with numerous ideas. These ideas when presented in their raw form in childhood or adolescence seem vague. As we grow they take a better shape and it becomes possible to bring these virtual ideas to reality in the form of inventions or successful companies.

Hence, as elucidated, growth brings us happiness and makes our life more productive. Often growth is surreptitious and we don't even realise it and aspire for more. Nobody ostracizes growth. Growth can lift a person from the state of penury to opulence. It can convert a hedonist to a successful social worker and a frivolous person into an erudite. It goes unpolemically contested that growth is the root of happiness and productivity in life.