Context

My executive function is sound but my vision is atrophied.

Sal Khan moved me with his eloquence and optimism in his recent TED talk. Khan is a demonstrated visionary whose domain greatly intersects with my passions, so I resolved to engage more meaningfully by reading his book “One World Schoolhouse”.

Then I produced this piece of writing.

Learning Vision from Sal Khan

Elements of Khan’s Vision

Broad Purview

Khan’s vision transcends fundamental boundaries.

“I believe that, for the near future at least, the United States will maintain its leadership position in science and technology despite any potential failings in our school system. Alarmist rhetoric aside, the United States is not about to lose its primacy because students in Estonia are better at factoring polynomials. Other aspects of U.S. culture—a unique combination of creativity, entrepreneurship, optimism, and capital—have made it the most fertile ground in the world for innovation.” “We are now still in the early stage of an inflection point that I believe is the most consequential in history: the Information Revolution.” “What’s needed… is a perspective that takes nothing for granted and focuses on the simple but crucial questions of what works, what doesn’t work, and why.” “It seems to be part of human nature that customs and institutions come to seem somehow inevitable and preordained.”

Ethical View

Khan’s vision claims the good.

“All this talk about education is healthy in that it affirms the absolutely central importance of learning in our competitive and connected world.”

"What really matters is whether the world will have an empowered, productive, fulfilled population in the generations to come.”

"The cost of wasting millions of minds is simply unacceptable.”

Compelling Speech

Khan’s vision speaks beautifully.

“mere information into mastery” "potential realized or squandered, dignity enhanced or denied.”

“a handful of familiar but misplaced obsessions”

“tradition tends to cramp imagination”

“a scandal and a tragedy”

Rigorous Analysis

Khan’s vision analyzes intently.

“Let’s consider an incredibly fundamental riddle: How does education happen?”

“Let’s begin at the beginning. How did teaching start?” ”For that matter, who decided that education should be tax-supported and compulsory, that it should begin at a certain age and end after a certain number of “grades,” and that it should be the business of the state to decide what should be taught and who could be a teacher?”

Purpose of Vision

It is difficult to develop a broad purview, exercise ethical judgement, compose compelling speech, and construct a rigorously supported long-term theory. But these are fundamental components of creating something meaningful. If done well, vision serves as a boundless source of motivation and as a primary eliminator of doubt.