I agree with Jessica that our education system is messed up. Due to the educational mess, our society is messed up. We plug people into roles they’re not suited for because we look at intelligence in only one way.
We blame “immigrants, or women, or whoever” as the reason people have mental health problems. Why? Because we’d have to change the way we look at intelligence and how we educate our kids.
Lord knows if it's one thing humans have difficulty with, it’s change. It’s far easier to blame someone else for the problems we create than change the way we’re doing things. We stick with the idea that women are poor at math, and men can’t read.
I, a woman, excel at math and love science. I defy the idea. Gartner’s theory of multiple intelligences expands the concept of intelligence.
Garntner’s theory is a deep dive. Simply put, everyone has unique intelligences beyond the traditional cognitive ones we cling to. We have more than one, and we can increase our intelligence in many areas.
We don’t come out with a general intelligence level that can’t be changed. Women don’t come out with motherly intelligence and no math skills, and men don’t come out with “manly” intelligence and can’t learn to read. It’s a lie that some want us to believe, because otherwise they’d have to change their thought patterns.
There are facts to back this up if you look. And more facts here. I want to add that I come from a well-educated, well-off background, and I was never, ever told girls are bad at math.
Our inability to change how we think about gender and education hurts girls and boys. It’s holding everyone back. I’m not surprised, as, if you haven’t guessed, I like change. Boy, has that gotten me in trouble over the years!
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