Is it possible to educate or inform someone who is not willing to receive it?

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   Express10posted 11 years ago

   Is it possible to educate or inform someone who is not willing to receive it?
   
   There is a surprising number of people in this world that don't want to acknowledge, let alone take heed of common or new knowledge. When presented with a better way (saves time, effort, money, pain), they choose to do as they always did even to their own detriment.

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2. 73

   grumpiornotposted 11 years ago

   It is astonishing how people can become set in their ways and are not receptive to knowledge. Possibly that is where the phrase "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" comes from.
   
   It's often said that there is no greater gift that a parent can give their child than an education, but it goes even a step further. The greatest gift is a thirst for education; the hunger to learn and the willingness to accept that you are never too old to learn.
   
   I guess if people do not want to learn, there is only so much you can do to convince them that you have something to contribute for the improvement of their lives. The method in which new information or knowledge is presented to someone can often determine their openness to learn... nobody wants to be told that they are wrong, and have been for years.

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      Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Quite often I find people want to talk about problems and pains rather than solutions. Anything they haven't come up with is just wrong or silly in their opinion.

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   Lisa HWposted 11 years ago

   Sometimes people have their own ideas about what's "better".  Sometimes they've always done something one way because that's how they preferred to do it.  They may have different priorities or reasons, or maybe they do just want to do what they're comfortable with (even if they know there's a "better", even by their own standards, way of doing something).
   
   I never appoint myself "educator" or "informer" to people who haven't specifically asked me for my input or opinion on what they do or how they do it.  Even with something as simple as the computer keyboard, I'm entirely familiar with it and I've been using it for years.  Still, I choose to do something things the less "efficient" way because there's something about that way that works best with what I'm doing or plan to do.
   
   Something I learned from having both an elderly mother and two elderly parents-in-law, and that is that is that what people care about at any given time, or in any given situation, is very often determined by the time or situation.  It's also determined by priorities.  What may not make sense to someone else makes perfect sense if someone a) listens to the other person's reasons for not being interested in "input", and b) respects the facts that nobody knows what someone else is dealing with (in any number of ways that aren't always obvious) and the facts that most people do what is right for them (and if they decide it's no longer right, then they'll ask for input).
   
   So, no.  It's probably not particularly possible to force "education" onto people, but sometimes one reason is that the people who try to do the educating or informing may be viewed as "clueless" by the person doing the "doing".   
   
   Even with new, "legitimate" and universal knowledge out there, most people hear it and believe it.  They just have their reasons for not following it.  I don't want my answer to come across like "reading the riot act" here.  It's just that I think one of the biggest problems in interpersonal relationships, even society today, is the assumption that those who don't do what makes sense, or seems/is right, need to be "educated" or "better informed".  Most adults (and a lot of kids) are quite well informed and educated on most of the more common matters in life. What we know and what we can do/want to do (for one reason or another) is a whole other thing.   
   
   Hang out with people in their 70's and 80's long enough, and you'll hear the words, "harping on it", quite a bit.  lol   

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      Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      No, riot act view has been taken. You have made very good points. It's smart to never appoint yourself educator, doing so only offends. How do you handle people who want to talk about problems but NEVER solutions or different approaches?

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   dianetrotterposted 11 years ago

   Experience is the best teacher.  Parents tell their children about pitfalls all the time.  You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.  Hmmm!  What other cliches can I come up with!

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      Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      This is very true. It's got to be painful for parents to watch the child get their "experience" even while they warn their kids out of their own personal experience and knowledge.

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   tsmogposted 11 years ago

   Great question Express 10. Awaiting to see others answers, since having not one while offering a theory maybe a hypothesis at the least. Gigging remembering a paper writ, though hidden somewhere in some files, about 'it' is 'id' with one view. Stepping back a bit and a byte, thanking you for this question this author asks remembrance the answer shared is mythical at best and reflective at least.
   
   Offering a tad of thinking about that riddle offered regarding meta-level communication long ago by the 'sphinx' ponder presents wisdom or who knows while listening to 'Teenage Wasteland' of not long ago. With that in mind, a thought process only offered is this, that maybe, just maybe, a different perspective is needed closer to Abraham's view. Which Abraham, I dun'no?
   
   Relishing the surprise personally experienced with receiving the benefits of education and information, yet of the past, the package not opened until of late, hidden behind a tree some say is a pole, I ponder Hanukkah, the holidays of the Eid(s), Diwali, Buddha Day, Christmas, sunrise, and Santa Clause, while thinking of 'it.' (There has been questions regarding the use of comma' of late, therefore declare a poem was writ and not prose nor composition.)
   
   A riddle of sorts, eh? Asking forgiveness, delete if offensive, more coffee will be sought soon. Seems being stuck in 'theta' or only recently awoke after a tad more of the unconscious than desired, not my decision, a surprise of sorts. And, liking that state much more than the state of 'Beta' of before, which today reaps its rewards from whence what was sown, although sad their is truth knowing not of mine. That was a great movie - 'Enemy Mine' with Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett, Jr. Possible the answer may be there. 
   
   For this 'self' also seeking the proposition, Express 10, for clarification - is the education or information a gift or imposed? That just may have something to do with willingness.
   
   (Insert disclaimer here stating this is a social commentary offered as an answer, while knowing no expertise, since all is from somewhere else, and each is an expert also.)
   
   tim

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   Express10posted 11 years ago

   From experience, unfortunately I say no. I agree that experience is the best teacher but some simply don't learn from that either. In particular, I speak of situations where a person may  ask a question or initiate a conversation that shows interest in change or receiving info but their actions show the opposite.
   
   For example, one can visit and be told several times by their doctor that they must get exercise, lose weight, and stop eating harmful amounts and types of foods. Perhaps they say they don't feel any pain and don't see anything wrong or they simply refuse to change their actions. What is the use in them going to the doctor in the first place if they are not open to receiving the information and the recommendations of the doctor?
   
   Another example would be those constantly stressed about a lack of money or actually suffering because of it. When some of these same people see or meet someone affluent, they may ask "how did you make your money?" When told about starting their own business, education, working side jobs, saving, investing, living beneath one's means, etc. The person rejects this and continues their stressful financial life without ever trying things that have actually worked for others who had the exact SAME starting point...zero.
   
   These are just two examples of people not willing to receive, possibly because the route may not appear as easy as they'd prefer or because it's simply different from what they've done or been taught. It's also possible they have a fear of trying and failing to get the desired result.

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   tussinposted 11 years ago

   well, i guess you answered your own question.

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      Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I couldn't help myself

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