Philosopher's+Island+3

=Island Reflections Number 3=
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one by one they talk to Mr. Plumbean who convinces them to use their imaginations to transform their houses to reflect their dreams.

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Conformity
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Individuality
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Individuality or Conformity?
|| =Our Reflections on Their Reflections=
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//Dear Peggy//

//We started with an interesting mix of affirming the importance of dreams ("Don't let your dreams get away - follow them!")// //combined with very firm statements that "we shouldn't just do what others want in order to "fit in"".// //So our dreams and aspirations seem to be a key part of what make us 'individual'.// //There were also many comparisons of human individuality with other examples from nature (daisies, snowflakes, toadstools...),// //suggesting that we are all unique from the outset, rather than simply as a result of our experiences.//

//Why is it important to us to appear different? Why do external things like clothes (NO to school uniforms!) and houses matter?// //If the people who are most important to us know us, why does it matter how we look to the world?// //(And how does this impact on our sense of ourselves?)//

//Talking about school, there was a feeling that in some cases, conformity is important - the examples were maths, spelling, and the words// //of a language. But in other cases there is more scope for individual styles and approaches.//

//What if Plumbean lived in Wanaka, where the Council makes rules about the appearance of houses?// //The general consensus seemed to be that perhaps Plumbean could move somewhere else, or make the inside of his house// //different, and stick to the rules outside. (What if he already lived in his house before the Council made the rules? What if he// //didn't vote for them? What if nobody had voted for them, but they had just taken control? What if everybody in Wanaka started// //painting their houses in a rainbow of colours? Would the rules have a different status then? (What if you agree to go to a school// //where there is already a school uniform?)//

//What if Plumbean lived in a 'gated community' and had signed a contract saying that he would keep his house the same as// //everybody else's? Would it be okay for him to have a crocodile and palm trees on the lawn then? There was a suggestion that// //he could "take a dog for a walk".. perhaps suggesting that he could keep his individuality intact, but express it in other ways?//

//What if Michelle wants to build a clocktower onto the roof of her house? It happens to cast an all-day shadow on the neighbours'// //house. It is, however, Michelle's fondest dream to live in a house with a clocktower, and she refuses to compromise her individuality.// //For some reason, the students seemed to think this was unreasonable of me!//

//The students decided that we need to agree on some rules, or there would be murder, theft, road accidents.// //So where do we draw the line? When does necessary conformity start impinging too much on individuality?//

//What has really happened at the end of the story?// //Is everyone really expressing their individuality, or are they copying what Plumbean has done?// //They end the book all speaking in unison about their street, just as they began. But does what they say now mean something// //different for each of them? They say "**all** our dreams" suggesting that their dreams are all included, and all separate.// //(What if a film crew turns up, the street becomes famous, and everyone in every street in the country follows the fashion of// //painting their houses in extraordinary ways? Are they expressing their individuality? Or is the individual the person who doesn't// //follow the trend?)//

//And we ended the session by touching briefly on the question, when do we learn to think philosophically?// //Are we natural philosophers, who are taught to be conformists in our thinking at school and work? Or do we start by thinking that// //**The Big Orange Splot** is just a nice story, and learn to question it and see complexity? "Depends how you are brought up?"// //(What about Ramon's progression in **Ish**: from non-conformist painting, to attempting to paint by 'the rules', to finding a new way back// //to what he was doing to start with? Is his non-conforming the same at the end as it was in the beginning, or does his knowledge that// //he is refusing to conform somehow change the nature of what he is doing?) Hmmm...//

//Very excited to see what will happen next time! All moving most excellently beyond our control...//

//Michelle//