Profession

Within his short story, “Profession,” Isaac Asimov extensively examined western education and where he felt that it was leading our society. By strumming up a fanciful and yet tasteful science fiction tale, Asimov indiscreetly offered up a philosophical analysis on the value of original thought to his readers. Initially, Asimov painted the picture of a world where individual thought was discarded, and humans were treated as though they were merely machines.

Instead of taking the time to learn information the old fashioned way, doctors fed individuals all of the information needed to perform certain professions with a tape that resulted in retaining a lifetime of knowledge within a matter of a few mere minutes. As the story progressed, the main character George grew increasingly uncomfortable with this system and went out on an adventure where he would seek to challenge it. He wanted to encourage individuals to learn the old fashioned way, through books. The problem was that no one wanted to learn through books when they could easily retain knowledge from a tape.

I believe that the story made two specific arguments for and against Western education. In the most obvious sense, he stated that while advanced technology opens worlds of possibilities (such as universal networks of interconnected planets), but relying upon it makes the user increasingly lazy over time. In the story, George’s friend did not want to learn about new equipment because the instant tape that could teach him was not available to him. He rather lose the Olympics and a chance to go to Novia (for his dream job on a dream planet) than open a book and learn the hard way. This part of the book pointed directly to the point that I made above.

While Asimov made the point above, he fooled his audience by making it seem that individual thought was entirely unimportant and perhaps even unnecessary in this futuristic society. It was only at the end of the book when George’s acquaintances explained that he was special since he had the power for not only original thought, but had the mental capacity to comprehend and invent ingenious ideas. It was then that George was told that original thought was necessary to power the systematic educational system that he had witnessed for his entire life. Through the culmination of these two ideas, Asimov states that while original thought and intellectual exploration were the most respected and highest forms of learning, that mass production and a simplified system is necessary to move a society forward as a whole.

I happen to agree with both parts of Asimov’s thesis, although I do not think that it is fair. In today’s society it is entirely obvious that originality and genius are considered to be the most precious gifts. At the end of the day a novelist does not contribute as much to the maintenance of daily life as an electrician or a plumber. At the end of the day, an expressive artist is usually starving, because while his work may be ingenious and original, it does not support the maintenance of society. His paintings do not put food on anyone’s table, and it certainly doesn’t build houses. Ultimately this type of higher thinking is a luxury. We have seen this throughout history. First and foremost, the members of a society are mainly concerned with survival, maintaining food, shelter, and clothing. It is only after those needs have been met that they will take the leisure time to throw themselves into the appreciation or participation of higher learning and original thought. Take the Pax Romana as an example. Since the Roman’s basic needs were met, food was plentiful and wars were minimal. These favorable conditions gave Romans the opportunity to take leisure time in studying and advancing. This is why at this time we saw a surge in the discovery of knowledge and in the production of art.

Furthermore, I think that Asimov’s thesis is deeply related to my present life as a student. Although many students may not consider it this way, to study is a luxury. While at school I devote most of my time to intellectual exploration, and the rest of that time to sleeping, eating, partying, relaxing, and the like. I’m in a lucky position where my parents are paying for my education because they have made enough money to take care of the family’s visceral needs. And now make the investment in my future so that I too can one day afford to take care of a family’s visceral needs. While I am here, I am simply here. I do not need to worry about where my next meal is coming from and don’t have to think about fixing a leak in my roof. I don’t have to worry about fixing the heat. There are other people who are there to do those types of things for me. They are paid to do them and they do them all day long. The man who makes the school food and who fixes the buildings is busy doing his work and does not have the leisure time to pursue original thought. Regrettably, there are more maintenance men than there are philosophizing men; this is because in order for someone to have the ability to foster creativity another man must pick up his slack to support the basic structure of the community. This is a simple fact of life that has existed since the Neolithic revolution when the first towns were invented.