What you are about to read is based on a true story – actually a personal experience that I had.
A Shocking Demonstration of Non-Critical Thinking by Two Professors!
Sometime ago, I had the opportunity to spend roughly 5 minutes with two professors (specialising in Agriculture) in a tertiary institution. I actually got an appointment to see only one of them. The other – who I met for the first time – just happened to be around when the meeting eventually held.
A few days before, 5 male university students had eagerly followed my instructions, to make a drink using a procedure I developed. All they used were pineapple PEELS and small amounts of sugar.
When I left their room that night, they were ecstatic, and thankful.
That experience made me think of possibilities in terms of empowering students to make drinks from waste peels of different fruits (like I propose in this FREE PDF report).
What I had in mind, was a practical workshop arrangement that would last for about 4 hours.
Interested students would enrol, and learn basic principles involved in making drinks from different fruit waste peels. And I offered to source funding by exploring partnerships with sponsors, so attendance could be free or low cost.
Sadly, these “professors” failed to see what I saw.
Not even when I noted the fact that job seeking graduates could earn side income using the skill – as they pursued employment opportunities. We all know how scarce jobs have become today!
The second professor was the one who actually resisted the entire idea and my proposal.
He said in a very firm voice, looking sternly at me:
“I am quite sure none of the students will be interested in this kind of thing. Your best bet will be to go to companies that already make juices with pineapple fruit, and tell them about this idea for making drinks using the peels they throw away. They are the ones who need it.”
When I tried to refocus his attention on the potential benefits to the students, he said:
“Look, I’m telling you no student will be interested. I know I will not want to attend such training. So you can be sure no student will want to learn it either!”
Wow, what ingenious insight from a man (supposedly) of sound intellect. And he was far from being “old”, so the issue of senility did not come in here!
Looking back, I could not help feeling he somehow felt I would “steal” loyalty he had from the students. Just a theory I have…I could be wrong.
His colleague (the one who’d actually invited me) had seemed more willing to discuss with me initially.
In fact I vividly recall him asking what he could do, and offering to give me contact details of students I could invite to the event.
But on seeing how intense his partner was, he strangely went silent.
And at the end of his colleagues “pronouncement” he basically said “Ok. Tayo. See you next time then.”
I stood up, shook their extended hands and left. And that was it.
Professors Lacking Critical Thinking Skills Have Little to Offer Anyone!
To say I felt deflated would be an understatement. But I only let that feeling last for a few seconds.
In no time I shrugged it off, and began thinking of where else I could go. I met with the administrator of a Francophone nation’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
This followed an invitation extended to me by an officer of the chambers. She’d tasted a sample of the drink I gave her while at their International Trade Fair stand, at Cotonou’s Stade De L’amitie.
The administrator did not hide his excitement, when I told him how I’d made the non-fermented version of the drink in my hand. Our chat lasted over an hour (all in French, as he spoke no English).
By the time I left, he’d given me his private mobile phone number, and requested I send him a bottle of the fermented version to taste. He also indicated interest in exploring the propositionl I’d discussed with him – requesting that I send him a copy in French.
And that’s just one of a number of opportunities that have come up. In the meantime, I’m also exploring variants of the product, and conducting shelf-life trials for a version I aim to produce commercially.
Our “Professors” Must Not Be Too Busy to Think!
That encounter with the professors proved to me they’d lost their critical thinking skills. And it has convinced me that I MUST take further steps to protect my kids’ natural creativity from being “beaten out of them” – as someone once wrote.
No “professor” can afford to become too busy (e.g. publishing papers to boost his/her status) to find time to think up newer/better ideas…or to explore useful ones conceived by others!
We must remember that founding fathers of some fields professors specialise in today, had only few months of formal schooling.
A good example: Thomas Edison was a serial inventor, with about 10,000 patents.
He stressed the importance of exercising the mind. That was the secret of his amazing ability to innovate: he did a lot of thinking!
Interestingly Albert Einstein, another great mind, who went through formal schooling, reportedly hated it – claiming “his professors only taught old science”!
In his early schooling years, Einstein had been bored by the emphasis on rote learning (i.e. memorisation). But the teachers –narrowly – interpreted his attitude to be due to laziness.
Later in life, Einstein constantly made out ample time to think. He did this despite being busy working (6 days a week at a patent office), pursuing a doctorate at the University of Zurich, and coping with family life.
It was during those busy periods, that he came up with his most amazing discoveries and revolutionary ideas!
Einstein Was Once Asked How Schools Could Improve…
He replied by saying that schools that force students to memorize periodic tables, and maths theorems, would not progress; while those that teach imagination and creativity will influence society’s evolution.
(I’ll hazard a guess: the egos and personal interests of those in charge were/are getting in the way…)
In my parenting articles, I have repeatedly challenged parents to help their kids discover and maximise their God-given potentials.
Most conventional schools, as they are currently set-up will NOT do that!
Final Words: What I Am NOT Saying/Have NOT Said…and Do NOT Mean
Before someone calls for my head, let me state clearly that I have not said, and do not mean to imply, in any way, that professors are bad or incompetent 
However, it is my considered opinion, that some members of that group are – today – misrepresenting the larger majority (a sign they probably should not have gotten that far?).
What I AM therefore saying, in essence, is that teachers at any level must be open to new ideas.
They must also be willing to think them up…and to encourage those they teach, to do the same.
“Professors” can simply NOT afford to resist new ideas – or hold on to outdated ones!