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The Educated Man

Sen. Salonga defines an educated man as someone who thoughtfully reads quality literature to open their mind, rigorously analyzes what they read, is interested in discerning right from wrong over accumulating degrees, can logically express themselves with precision and grace, questions authority while recognizing imperfect judgment, respects all people's dignity, and lives a purposeful life of relevance. He believes being skilled alone does not make one educated; true education generates broad compassion and a willingness to sacrifice for good governance.

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1K views

The Educated Man

Sen. Salonga defines an educated man as someone who thoughtfully reads quality literature to open their mind, rigorously analyzes what they read, is interested in discerning right from wrong over accumulating degrees, can logically express themselves with precision and grace, questions authority while recognizing imperfect judgment, respects all people's dignity, and lives a purposeful life of relevance. He believes being skilled alone does not make one educated; true education generates broad compassion and a willingness to sacrifice for good governance.

Uploaded by

maricon elle
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The Educated Man (An Excerpt)

Jovita Salonga

... When I say "educated man," I do not refer to the individual who has read a
thousand books and magazines, however important reading may be to the life of the
mind. One of the most unfortunate things in this country is that so much is read by
so many who do not know what to read. Because of cheap paper and printing,
comics, pulp magazines and cheap literature have replaced the classics and the great
masterpieces. As a consequence, an enormous mental garbage has been piled up
beyond our collective capacity to liquidate. Writers of history a hundred years from
now, in assessing the quality of education in the Philippines, may have ample
reason to say that our schools have produced a vast population able to read, but
unable to distinguish what is worth reading. It was Mark Twain, I believe, who said
he never allowed his schooling to interfere with his education.

When I use the term "educated man," I do not mean the individual who has
memorized a thousand facts and assembled in his mind a million data, on the basis
of which he has earned a string of academic degrees. I do not mean to minimize the
importance of memory, for it is stating the obvious when I say we should be able to
observe, sort out and remember relevant facts so we may have a sound basis for
each judgment. Of Themistocles, it has been said that he knew by heart the names of
twenty thousand citizens of Athens; and Cyrus, it is recorded, knew every soldier in
his huge army. Indeed, how refreshing it would be for our youth to learn by heart
Jesus' inimitable Sermon on the Mount, the magnificent soliloquies of Shakespeare,
the unforgettable dialogue of Plato and in our own land, the lofty language of
Arellano and Laurel, the trenchant outbursts of Manuel Quezon and the elegant
prose of Claro M. Recto. How inspiring it would be for our young men and women
to remember the historic landmarks in our struggle for freedom — from the heroism
of Lapu-Lapu to the lonely battle of Del Pilar at Tirad Pass, from the field of
Bagumbayan where the young Rizal met his tragic death to the dark dungeons of
Fort Santiago, where the youth of the land suffered a thousand times and met a
thousand deaths! Nor do I minimize the significance of degrees and diplomas in a
degree-conscious society such as we have, except to emphasize the danger of
mistaking a degree for intellectual worth. A college graduate has once been
described as one who at the end of his studies is presented with a sheepskin to cover
his intellectual nakedness.

When I say "educated man," I do not refer to the skilled engineer, the able trial
lawyer, the talented musician, the gifted writer, or the expert surgeon. Far be it from
me to underrate the importance of skills and talents. Sometime ago, I made
reference to the fact that while we have abundant natural resources in this country,
we do not have sufficient skills to make this country great. Japan is relatively poor in
natural resources, with land scarcely enough to sustain her tremendous population,
but despite a war that laid waste her towns and cities, she has recovered and come
back with greater vigor because she has a people of abundant skills.
But I would like to submit the proposition that one becomes a great scientist, an able
lawyer, or a noted writer, only because he is first — and pre-eminently a good man.
An abundant talent employed to serve an evil end is a prostitution of divine
endowment.

What, then, is the educated man? Is he the man who has read a lot? Partly yes,
because his reading is serious and discriminate and uplifting. Is he the man who
remembers many facts and events? Partly yes, because the training of memory is a
wholesome discipline that requires effort and application and because one cannot
make a sound judgement without respect for remembered facts. Is the educated
man, then, one who because of his skill is able to provide for himself and his family?
Partly yes, since education should teach us how to make a living. But there is one
thing we should always remember and it is this — that far more important than the
making of a living, is a living of life — a good life, a meaningful life, an abundant
life.

The educated man lives this kind of a life, because he has opened the windows of
his mind to great thoughts and ennobling ideas; because he is not imprisoned by the
printed page, but chooses to make a relentless, rigorous analysis and evaluation of
everything he reads; because he is less interested in the accumulation of degrees
than in the stimulation of his mind and the cultivation of a generous spirit; because
his interest is less in knowing who is right but more importantly, in discerning what
is right and defending it with all the resources at his command; because he can
express himself clearly and logically, with precision and grace; because he is not
awed by authority, but is humble enough to recognize that his best judgment is
imperfect and may well be tainted by error or pride; because he has a deep
reverence for the inherent worth and dignity of every human being, as a creature of
God; because he has a healthy sense of values, a breadth of outlook and the depth of
compassion which a purposeful education generates; because whenever he talks
about good government he is prepared and willing to sacrifice himself for it; and
because he lives a life of relevance to the world in which we live, sharing in the
problems of his time and doing whatever he can with intelligence and fairness and
understanding....

Answer the following questions.

1. What is the message of the speaker in his speech? For Sen. Salonga, what is an
educated man?

2. What is your reaction to the last part of the speech? Do you agree or disagree with
his convictions? Explain why you say so.

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