Funny title, isn't it?
Reproduction is a term that is often used in the field of critical pedagogy. Sparing you the complexities and philosophical arguments surrounding the concept of reproduction, let me offer a vary simplistic definition:
Reproduction is the practice of embracing the culture and ingrained ways of thinking from parents or other strong influencers without seriously interrogating those beliefs. Whew . . . that almost hurt to write such a complex sentence so long after completing my terminal degree.
Reproduction can happen in all areas of our lives, to include our business practices and beliefs. Simply put, it usually involves doing things just like we were taught. While mentoring is generally a good thing, sometimes a little revolution is not only good, it's necessary for success in an ever-changing environment.
For Example . . .
One of the most likely places where you were the victim of negative reproduction was in the high school math class. There is a culture–although it is slowly changing–that is common in secondary math classrooms. Math teachers often teach very much like they were taught. This means they not only follow the same curricular practices, they also reproduce the attitudes and dispositions towards their students that they suffered under when they were students. There are certainly outstanding math teachers who have joined the revolution to teach and present math differently from what they experienced, but overall I think it would be a little frightening to discover how many readers experience similar abuse or insensitivities in the math classes of their youth.
And Another Example . . .
I'm sure most, if not all, of us have also come up against the infamous, "We don't do that that way here" or "We tried that once and it didn't work." In the former case, reproduction was allowed to set like concrete to freeze a corporate culture or business practices and policies. In the latter case, some brave soul got a mini-revolution going but it was squashed like a bug.
Reproduction is Appealing
Reproducing the received culture, beliefs, practices, dispositions, etc. is appealing for several reasons:
- it is safe – "Blessed is the leader for he will be show down" It is much easier to justify just doing what has already been done than to create waves.
- it is easy – no new thing to think up, pitch, and have to defend.
- it encourages promotions – guess who most gets rewarded?
My concern is the number of businesses and other areas in which if something unique and forward-thinking doesn't emerge soon, the jobs will go away. So accepting the status quo may be safe in the short run but devestating in the long run. So, what do we do about this?
Resources About This Topic
One terrific resource is Seth Godin's talk at TED.com about "Standing Out." Excellent take on the need to be unique and catch the eye of your client or customer. I'm sure you'll enjoy it and fuel your mini-revolution.
Another powerful resource, but one that many might find difficult reading, is Thomas S. Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions on Amazon.com or in your local library (ha!). Just in case you're not willing or don't have the time to dig through that wonderful book, the most relevant point for this post is that you cannot throw off a ruling paradigm by attacking it; you must replace it with a superior one. Hmmm . . . a lot to think about there and quite a challenge as a ruling paradigm is in place because it worked at one time.
So charge out their and tilt a few windmills and maybe help create a more secure future in an ever-changing, fast moving 21st century environment.
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