Integration

Amongst all the obsessive behavior of our team from Pluto, the passion of an “integrated” teaching (and examination) is certainly phenomenal.

Why, experts from highly different areas do not become integrated just because they sit together and each gives a short speech – in their own language. A course of dinner does not become “fusion” dishes by merely putting won ton in soup as the starter and sirloin as the entrée. No, even if you put fried rice as the side dish for the steak, it does not mix – it becomes a monster (alas, colonial cuisine). As a part-time gourmet I would rather visit an Indian restaurant today and a French one tomorrow – I shall integrate myself after learning the fine taste from each country, certainly not all in a single hurry evening.

Perhaps we should send a copy of Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations to those creatures in Pluto. The very first paragraph of this masterpiece goes like this: The greatest improvement in the productive powers of labour, and the greater part of the skill, dexterity, and judgement … have been the effects of the division of labour.