THE POSSIBILITIES
This could be small, helping a substantial number of people, it could be "fairly large" and impactful, or it could be hugely powerful and impactful.
THE NEED
There is a need. Values and workable philosophies are going by the wayside, no longer taught, pushed out by the busyness and/or distractions that technology allows nowadays.
Character (not as morality but as "workability") is barely touched on, if at all, in school. Life itself is hardly taught, for if it was there would be few dropouts and there would be massive numbers of people working together to create a prosperity based on producing value and a happiness based on applying the principles of life.
COMPREHENSIVE, EFFECTIVE, CHANGING ALL LIVES
The Life Management Institute (the name I use for now) is about teaching "life", from the oh so necessary management of oneself to what works in life beyond having the skills to earn a living and to read and write.
As a non-profit, non-religious institute, I see it as a way to leverage learning what it takes to make life work, so that the time for individual teachers would be minimized as the materials for the entire nation (and perhaps the world) could be created at the highest level of excellence and effectiveness in one place with one concerted effort. On the optimal scale, experts would be engaged to create the best in their field, leveraged by staff who can help in the media production and other production.
Anyone, for no cost, could access the materials on the Internet, following created recommended pathways or programs, with self teaching and computer testing, watching videos and using the most advanced teaching methods that keep attention (until the skill of attention is achieved). Programs for adults would be supplemented and/or integrated with programs for young children and teenagers to young adults, so that all programs would be appealing and relate to the appropriate maturity and interest level. Sports stars and other admired figures would be used to get the point across, whether it be about discipline, character, values, or whatever part of life that they could teach and/or inspire by example.
This would be a public resource, but not just goody-goody. It would be a resource that paid off immensely for the nation and one which could end up being costless on a net basis.
There would be a marvelous "synergistic" effect, as the individuals in the nation all "get up to speed" on the program and begin talking the same "language" and cooperating toward worthwhile objectives.
It is giving
There is no theology nor religion to be taught here, for that is each person's choice.
No weird techniques.
No politicking - it would be a public resource available but not regulated by or dependent on the government, supported only by the people and possibly some grants.
OTHER POTENTIALITIES
There are virtually unlimited ways this could be used to transform people's thinking and lives into "workability".
Virtually all human beings can have their knowledge expanded to the degree that they would see "what works best". On the premise that each human being does the best he can at the time given his current limits of awareness it could be postulated that no person intrinsically is "the problem" but only that the lack of awareness (knowledge, wisdom) is the problem. Surely, if people knew it was to their benefit to act in progressive, cooperative ways, they would do that. But before that, they will operate only on what they've been exposed to, mostly by amateurs in life and/or by misleading beliefs and dogmas. With this expansion of wisdom and knowledge, a person can then look and see what is true and lines up with reality to work best on his/her behalf.
Prison inmates then are not "evil" as a permanent condition, but "uninformed". Based on that, in order for them to get certain privileges or benefits, they would have to complete various life learning segments/programs. Until they completed them, they would not get those benefits. This is not oppressive at all, as it is a way to get the benefits they know are of value but also, at the same time, get benefits that they had no idea about.
You could offer a curriculum for people to take to be qualified for marrying. It could, at the option of the jurisdiction, be required before getting a license. This one thing, by itself, would make a dramatic difference in many people's lives.
You could require part or all of the curriculum before graduating in each grade level or from high school or elementary school. Some helpful programs already exist but are sporadically used and none put it all together (See TheLifeUniversity.com .)
