Why Did We Learn How To Play The Recorder In School?

 

It's a really interesting and valid question. Some rather serious answers given were how it taught us breathing techniques, and that it provided us with a nice break from all the studying.

Have to say that I don't actually know what the thinking was behind it, nor can I give you the pedagogical reasons. But probably it was simply to introduce a form of arts appreciation in schools.

Of course, this is one area we've never been good at. In fact, the ARTS has always been seen as the "less intelligent" stream, and that it could never be as important as the other subjects in school. 

As such, the thinking has been cultivated from young; that arts and culture have no value to real life, and could never be a real career alternative.

I believe this has led to disastrous consequences to society in more ways than one. Without the appreciation of the arts, there's no appreciation of the artistes. That's why for so long, we've grappled with widespread piracy (cetak rompak). Because people simply do not appreciate the creative process. 

Even today in the digital world, there is little respect for intellectual property. People think arts and culture are merely hobbies that have no value. They don't think this as "work" for those who depend on it for their livelihoods.

It doesn't help too that there is no balance in the media when it comes to entertainment, arts and culture. Sure, we all enjoy gossip now and then, but the fascination has always been with the "artis", rather than what's "artistic". Hence, it's all lumped together as just entertainment, and nothing more.

Even deeper than that, the lack of appreciation for the arts, literature and culture has created a society of binary thinkers. A piece of of art can mean different things to different people (there is no right or wrong), but generally our people can't, and won't, agree to disagree, cos the answer to everything is either this or that. 

Everything must be on the nose, subtexts are often ignored, and it leaves us with a society that only judges others by what they see on the surface, and material gains. 

Oh how I wish we had learned more than just the recorder...