We're hearing a lot from politicians and Ofsted these days about promoting 'British values' though they never seem too sure about how these might differ from more widely shared values. Well, I haven't a clue either, but I rather like the suggestions below from the great British philosopher Bertrand Russell.
They are taken from an article he wrote forThe New Statesman in 1951 entitled 'Best Answer to Fanaticism is True Liberalism'. The emphasis is in the original, it seems to me numbers 5 and 6 would also be worth putting in bold these days, though our media, politicians and Ofsted inspectors might also like to focus on number 2. See what you think.
'The Ten Commandments that, as a teacher, I should wish to promulgate might be as follows:-
1) Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.
2) Do not think it worth while to produce belief by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.
3) Never try to discourage thinking, for you are sure to succeed.
4) When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavour to overcome it by argument, and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.
5) Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contradictory authorities to be found.
6) Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.
7) Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.
8) Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.
9) Be scrupulously truthful, even when truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.
10) Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.'
The full article can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/lq7xkcx
