Saturday, February 5, 2011

02.05.11


02.05.11, originally uploaded by colemama.

Silk filaments create lacy patterns and provide structure for dew drops in the early morning rays of light. Wonders are created and recreated daily in the tapestry of nature. Wandering along the visual (as well as auditory) delights got me to thinking about the tenets of consumption versus creation.

Before the widespread (and usually, wasteful) 'materials' economy (watch The Story of Stuff for a great review of the concept), folks use to make their own to survive. It was a hard life and not something wished for now, but it does make one think about how much we've become slaves to consumption. We are willing to let anyone/anything else do most everything for us - from providing basic nutritional needs to entertainment. To some degree, we have buried the desire for self-sufficiency. Perhaps that is why it is more difficult to justify time spent on creative thinking?

A presentation at the 2011 Florida Educational Technology Conference by Cheryl Lemke noted the overlap and interactivity between critical thinking (an aspiration of educational standards) and creativity (represented in the arts and often the first on the chopping block when budgets are tight). Perhaps the evidence will help allow more priority on 'creating' rather than just 'consuming' in our typical school classroom. Freedom Park, Naples, FL

6 comments:

  1. Beautiful picture in all its detail, texture and light. And wonderful commentary! I so agree - throw the ball to the students, let them create!

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  2. I love this picture. The frost and dew really add to the pic. The cob web also fits in wonderfully. I've seen the Story of Stuff and yes, it really does make one think.

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  3. Nicely done! Thanks for the link - it was very thought provoking.

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  4. Like the drops of moisture on this web! Beautiful!

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  5. This is lovely - so delicate. It's important to try to live life more simply.

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