Critical thinking vs cultural hegemony: how to educate for community life

Abstract

A culture of hatred and violence characterizes our society worldwide. Violence arises as a result of the anti-democratic
and intolerant attitudes of many people, whose law is that the strongest prevails. Today’s mercantilist
society identifies the strongest as those who hold economic power and wealth and allows them to direct the behaviour
of others in a way that serves their own advantage. The culture of neoliberalism feeds prejudice and stigmatises
those who are unable to acquire economic power, while “surveillance capitalism” is spreading, determining
a new form of subordination. Pedagogy must primarily act to propose a new cultural project that aims to rehumanize
the individual by enhancing the practice of critical thinking, social cohesion and mutual understanding.