The Second Education

New York Times Columnist David Brooks has the best column of the week, focusing on what he called the “second education.”

Not the scholastic kind, where it comes through the front door and hits you over the head via a teacher, but via a Springsteen concert – in Brooks’s experience.

I can substitute dozens of other second education experiences, mostly stolen from my wife, who specializes in this kind of thing with young people. She calls it social-emotional learning and writes about it at http://adolescentwork.wordpress.com/.

You can find this education on the athletic field, in the art gallery, on stage, Hell – after hours under the stadium bleachers – anywhere but having it jammed down your throat in standardized testing prep sessions.

This kind of learning affects everything in politics and communications. The social emotional types – you know them when you see or hear them – have a leg up on the rest of the field. Think Obama, not Al Gore. Think George Bush (yes, go ahead) not Mitt Romney or John McCain. The ultimates – of course – were Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan.

For Vermont political readers, the Democratic primary field for governor is pretty socially-emotionally strong, with Sen. Peter Shumlin a standout. Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie – with perceived weaknesses on policy and public speaking – is actually very strong in this department.

These are people who know who they are. They are people comfortable in social situations. They don’t need scripting by staff. They put a room at ease and can make a meeting sing, or inspire a kid in trouble.