EDUCATION FOR UNDERSTANDING THE CONDITIONED MIND

Reading is a fundamental need of all children. Literacy underpins all educational achievement; it helps develop human potential and raises self-esteem; it is critical to personal freedom and the maintenance of a democratic society; it is an integral element in the broader goals of economic opportunity and security, social justice, and dignity.

- The National Literacy Trust

The most important element of a free society is democratic thinking. Conflict in human relationship is created by thinking that is conditioned to a particular fragmentary point of view due to the particular environment one has grown up in. Our minds are conditioned by origin of birth, education and experiences. The intent of Youth Peace Literacy is to bring this issue of conditioning, and the tremendous conflict it creates, to the forefront of our awareness through donations of peace educating resources that address this vital concern.

Conditioned thinking prevents democratic thinking and action because it fixes antiquated ethnocentric beliefs into dogmatic, rigid patterns of behavior that divides people into opposing tribal ideologies. The foundation of a humane and intelligent society is open-minded, enlightened free inquiry, that is, the freedom to think without any restrictions or pressure due to fear or coercion of any kind. In this way people can intelligently question the underlying conditioning that creates this fragmentation.

The intent of democratic thinking needs to be promoted worldwide if we are to end these destructive divisions and therefore work together peacefully. The programs of Youth Peace Literacy do just that – they teach young people to freely inquire, to creatively question the conditioned assumptions of society that have for millennia caused such terrible pain and suffering. These programs do not promote any system of belief nor do they attempt to persuade readers to any particular point of view, no matter how noble it may seem to be. Instead they create the basis for a truly democratic, civilized society by allowing for intelligent dialogue and enlightened inquiry.

To accomplish this objective the Atrium Society is seeking funding to provide training for interested individuals and organizations in educating young people to gain the peace educating skills that are represented in the Youth Peace Literacy programs.