At the end of the last century specialists from various areas confirmed that we are in the knowledge society, where a good collection of academic titles, with specializations and constant qualifications, is what makes the difference, ensuring a good job and consequently a good social status. Following this paradigm, schools, both public and private, strive to prepare children and young people for the University entrance exam. However, some realities contradict this paradigm: we do not have a professional market to absorb all this academic workforce; young people are immature in choosing the University course and the profession to follow; The vast majority of graduates of higher education are lost in the crowd, without any prominence, without any contribution of greater value to sciences and society.

What is the use of a University diploma? What is the meaning of the academic title? Where does higher education have an influence on professional practice? If the present and the future of Humanity are the knowledge and mastery of technologies, why does it not reduce corruption, social injustice, misery, conflicts, ecological imbalance and so many other evils?

In order to exercise a healthy reasoning on this matter, let us use the word of the Spirit Andre Luiz, through psychographics of the medium Chico Xavier, in the book "Nosso Lar" (Our Home), especially in Chapter 14, when this Spirit receives clarification from the Minister Clarencio on the issue of the diploma and professional practice. 

The situation

Andre Luiz had been a physician in his last earthly life and was in spiritual treatment and recovery in “Colonia Nosso Lar” (Our Home Spiritual Colony), when he arranged to talk with Minister Clarencio to request an appointment for medical treatment for the patients of the Spiritual Colony. Although he recognized the need for adaptation, he believed he was fit for the job. After exposing his request, in a veiled way, arguing that he only wanted to collaborate with some service, he received from the minister various explanations about the academic title and the exercise of the profession from the point of view of the Spirits.

Let us explain, before further clarifications, the way in which Minister Clarencio answers those who seek him. He lets into the room two people at the time, making the lessons for one serve equally for the other.

Andre Luiz learned later “that he used this method so that the advice given to any interested party would serve equally to others, thus meeting the need of a general order, wasting less time and thereby benefiting from this".

Invitation from God

Clarence's first enlightenment - and every father and every teacher need to hear this - is that "it is necessary that every task on Earth, regarding professions, is an invitation from the Father for man to enter the divine temples of work".

We know that work, according to the Spiritist teaching, is a divine law, which leads us to understand that practicing a profession is to answer to an invitation from God and not simply guarantee a secure job and a good salary.

In clarifying this analysis it is implicit the question of professional ethics, the commitment of the citizen with his neighbor and with society, being opposed to the automatic exercise of his functions.

Taking into account that the book “Nosso Lar” (Our Home) was written in 1943, we are only living sixty-three years of this new theory about the meaning of the University diploma and the exercise of a profession, which is a very short period of time, considering that economic theories, educational, and others sometimes take even more than a century to become known and accepted. 

Service Record

Minister Clarencio continues, now with a second explanation: "The title, for us, is simply a record, but in the world it usually represents an open door to all kind of nonsense".

It is, unfortunately, what we see with the use of the diploma to guarantee advantages, as if it represented its bearer, which is not true, because in all the sciences and in all the professional branches we have those who dignify their titles and those who dishonor them. Nobility of character and professional ethics are not guaranteed by postgraduates, doctorates, master's degrees, specializations - all these titles with their due importance - because this is not considered in our current system of education.

Let us highlight the definition offered by the Minister of Assistance (one of the Ministries of "Nosso Lar" – Our Home), when he says that the title is a record, i.e., a kind of file where our actions are registered in the use of the professional title that we have. This definition is quite contrary to human thinking on the issue. In spite of the codes of ethics sworn by the graduates in their graduation, it is rare to find who answers before the law due to the improper use that they make of their diplomas. 

Learning to serve

Widening his clarification substantially, Clarentius states: "With this record, man is enabled to learn nobly and to serve the Lord, within the framework of His divine services on the planet." 

Who does not have a complaint about inhuman care by a doctor? Who does not have any claim to make about the lack of ethics of a lawyer? Who is not disillusioned with the procedure of some pedagogue? And so on, because the list of professions is extensive. We are making it clear that this is not all, but some, because this analysis does not fit into any generalization.

When we understand that work, and any useful occupation receives this classification by the High Spirits in "The Book of Spirits" (question 675), it is a constant opportunity for learning and not for demonstrating knowledge and exercising authority over others, and that to serve God in the construction of the common good is to be in accordance with the Divine Law. Then, when we have this understanding, professional responsibility, ethical conduct and commitment to life will make the diploma a token of service blessed by the light of love.

To serve others with the motto "love one another," taught and exemplified by the Master Jesus, should be our purpose in our professional practice. 

The lesson

It is Andre Luiz who gives us an opportunity for a final reflection, commenting, after Clarencio's statements: "I was astonished. I did not know about such notions of professional responsibility. I was astonished at the interpretation given to the academic title, reducing it to a record for admission into working areas for active cooperation with the Supreme Lord".

This thought of Andre Luiz arises after Minister Clarencio makes a series of considerations about the medical profession, which we can summarize in the following:

"My brother received the title of physician. He entered the temple of medicine, but his action in this area was not in accordance with rules that would authorize me to endorse his present desires. (...) As he admits now, a physician cannot station in diagnostics and terminologies. It is necessary to enter the soul, to understand its depths. Many medical professionals on the planet are prisoners in academic rooms, because vanity stole the key to their freedom. Few of them manage to cross the swamp of their lower interests, and rise over the common prejudices (...) ".

Let us remember that these words apply to any profession.

Let us reflect in depth about what we do with our academic titles, because, repeating the writer Pedro de Camargo (Vinicius), "men of today, responsible for the present distressing situation, do not need knowledge: they need sentiment".

It is why we agree with J. Herculano Pires, when, studying the question of academic evidence and titles, he shows that, in the face of the Spiritist Doctrine, practice, and doing, must be moral above all. Moreover, this depends entirely on the ability of the student to put into practice the acquired knowledge and not to flaunt this or that diploma.

Think about it!

Bibliography:

Our home. Andre Luiz / Chico Xavier. FEB.

The Book of Spirits. Allan Kardec. Feesp.

The Master in Education. Pedro de Camargo (Vinícius). FEB.

Spiritist Pedagogy. J. Herculano Pires. Edicel.