I am learning - despite your concerted lack of effort (intended or not) to keep me from it. I don't believe (on any front) it is a personal attack, rather apathy here, fear over there, pretentious ignorance from my flanks, and perhaps some bias sprinkled throughout. This is true on both small and large scales. As a nation we encourage divisiveness, fear, bias, and lack of effort - both in learning and in teaching; all to maintain status quo.

• Most of our children learn that it is most comfortable to get by and fade into the background.
• Some of our children learn that by disrupting their environment they can put forth less effort toward learning and increase personal influence / power and swap condescending judgment of one sort for a more desirable sort.
• A few of our children are taught at home that they are above the fray and effectively join the ranks of most of our children; but sometimes also instigate and encourage disruption.
• A few of our children learn that learning is an uphill battle; and they are discouraged; and many of these few often fall back to join the ranks of most of our children.

And we carry these lessons into adulthood not only as they impact our personal learning but also as they dampen our enthusiasm for teaching and training - for helping others to improve and contribute. I believe that bad boys and girls receive an inordinate amount of attention compared to those who would benefit more and those who truly want to learn. This I believe is especially true in childhood in formal (K-12) education and in smaller groups including the family but carries through to adulthood perhaps more under the guise of apathy or indifference.

In adulthood, we often justify our lack of effort by convincing ourselves that we too are above the fray; or, like me, we are discouraged and give up on or give in to large scale bureaucracy. I still work very hard though to make a difference within my (very small) personal circles of possible influence. I am learning.