Fear and self-loathing in the classroom

Telling students the world is dangerous, bad and "broken" is not good for them, writes Robert Pondiscio. Negativity breeds negativity.

Primal world beliefs -- shape how people experience life, according to Jeremy Clifton, a Penn psychologist. The big three -- Is the world basically safe or dangerous? Enticing or dull? Alive or mechanistic? -- "cluster into one overarching belief about whether the world is a fundamentally good or bad place," Clifton writes.

Told the world is dangerous, children may become "anxious and hypervigilant," writes Pondiscio. Those who think the world is safe are "more trustful and at ease."

"People who believe the world is enticing tend to be more curious and optimistic; those who find it dull are more likely to withdraw," he adds. "Someone who sees the world as alive may find meaning and awe in nature or human relationships; those who see it as mechanistic may perceive events as impersonal or disconnected."

"People’s primal beliefs tend to shape how they interpret their experiences," writes Pondiscio. Negative primal beliefs "strongly predicted lower life satisfaction, worse health, diminished flourishing, and even increased risk of suicide . . . across professions, personality types, and demographics."

Today’s education culture emphasizes the negative, he writes. "From trauma-informed pedagogy to social justice curricula, many well-meaning educators have embraced a mission of radical truth-telling — foregrounding systemic injustice, historical oppression, and future threats in the name of equity and authenticity."

"Novels like Thirteen Reasons Why (suicide, bullying), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (sexual abuse, suicide, depression)and The Hate U Give (racism) have "become classroom staples," Pondiscio writes. Children are less likely to be confident, curious and connected if they've been taught see the world as "bad and broken."

He asks: "What are the long-term effects of a school environment where the world is portrayed as a dangerous, unjust, declining place — and where safety and affirmation are prioritized above resilience?"

Many parents, fearful themselves, want their children to see the wold's dangers. "Safetyism" is making children more anxious, fragile and dependent on adults.