Robustness, endurance and tolerance are qualities sought after in action. "Too strong never broke" is a maritime maxim shared for centuries, because the sea is unforgiving. In principle, a storm at sea doesn't frighten anyone, because the boat and crew are ready to face it; so much the better if the sea is beautiful, but as long as we sail, the storm will one day be there, and it's the storm that sets the standard to be respected. But there are limits to robustness, and it comes with a price: weight, flexibility, aesthetics, cost, speed, preparation... other qualities that have nothing to do with robustness are also sought after.
At the human level, achieving a certain level of robustness requires training and foresight. Robust societies and individuals have reserves, tools, means of intervention and practice.
In an assisted society, robustness changes in nature. In the past, boats were made of wood and men of iron. Today, boats are made of steel, and men are powerless without the assistance of machines, so gigantic are their dimensions. Robustness has moved to another level, that of the system and its management methods. If electrical circuits can withstand overloads and are tolerant of fluctuations, so must the education system, and this extends to a pedagogy in tune with its environment.
While the physical robustness of human beings has lost some of its importance, emotional robustness remains, and is put to the test by today's technologies. Our emotional equilibrium doesn't carry much weight when it comes to algorithms. It's not just the sea that's unforgiving.
What can we do to develop our robustness, both as teachers and as students? Hypersensitivity is not an advantage in a society of intense interaction. The less we are exposed, the less tolerant we become... Fortunately, it is possible to increase robustness and change attitudes... but not by closing our eyes.
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Denys Lamontagne - [email protected]
Illustration: Silviu on the street - Pixabay
