Learning And Mindset

 Learning And Mindset

M. Bakri Musa

Excerpt #21:  from my Qur’an, Hadith, And Hikayat:  Exercises In Critical Thinking

Aug 31, 2025

 

There are two universals with learning. First, we have the greatest number of neurons (brain cells) at birth. Few or no new ones would be added after that. The second is the concept of mindset, how we think about ourselves, in particular our talents and abilities. Mindset is the soil for learning. Some soil is more fertile; others less so.

 

         Learning involves neurons forming new circuits. The more we learn the more new circuits we create, in turn eases the creation of new ones. If we do not use them, they will wither. Those new circuits are fragile as they have yet to be insulated (strengthened). The stimulus for that is frequent use especially during the early phases.

 

         As such learning is most intense during infancy and childhood. We take this advantage by exposing the young to as much learning as possible. In advanced countries preschool is now the norm. In agrarian societies, mothers would gather and their children would play together. Much learning (especially with respect to social skills) would take place at that time.

 

         With these insights, schools now introduce bilingual education at pre-kindergarten. That is the best time to acquire the skills of bi- and even multilingualism. Preschool is never more needed than for those disadvantaged economically and in many other ways. That is also the most effective way to compensate for those deficiencies.

 

         Mindset is a later phenomenon. As we grow we develop a basic set of convictions about ourselves and the world. That is mindset. It can either be “fixed” or “growth.” The first assumes that one’s character, intelligence, creativity, and other attributes are static, predetermined, and cannot be altered in any meaningful way. We also assume others to be that way. The religiously-inclined with a fixed mindset believe that their fate is what their Book of Life has inscribed for them. It cannot be edited or changed, the al qadar (what will be, will be) of Muslims.

 

         To the pseudo-scientific, a fixed mindset would have their fate inscribed in their genetic code. You cannot alter that either. Regardless, such fatalism, whether religiously embedded or biologically imprinted as per Readers’ Digest’s summation of modern genetics, is false and simplistic. Both are also difficult to overcome and posing significant barriers to learning. Failure would be seen as, “It is fated; or, it is not within me to succeed!” Likewise, success would not be a goal but a reaffirmation of one’s innate ability. Little incentive to go beyond and explore new boundaries.

         

         Those with a growth mindset treat failure not as such but as an opportunity to do better next time. Failure is a challenge, not the final judgement. When they succeed, they would aim even higher.

         

         Our behavior, as well as aptitude and attitude towards learning is based on whether we have a growth mindset (thus open to new learning) or a fixed one where our fate had been preset by the Almighty, or through the fortuitous combination of our parents’ genes.

 

         The Malay religious indoctrination and feudal acculturation breed a closed mindset. Add to that the endless cruel criticisms of Malay leaders like long-time Prime Minister Mahathir with his “Malays are lazy and genetically inferior” conviction, and you impose a severe, needless burden difficult to overcome. Worse, Malays in addition would also be accused of not mertabatkan bahasa kita (respecting our own language) when learning another language specifically English.

 

         That is comparable to the psychological barriers facing American Blacks when learning and speaking English. They would be accused of trying to be “white.” 

 

         Knowing another language would, among other benefits, equip one with a much-needed marketable skill as well as another lens to view reality. Those language nationalists see it otherwise.

 

         Modern psychological and neurobiological insights notwithstanding, there is much that remains unknown about human learning. Consider the challenges with autistic and dyslexic children. Then there are the outliers, the savants, individuals with otherwise general mental impairment but have significant above-average abilities in a particular area, usually musical or artistic.

 

         These individuals remind us that there is much more that we need to understand about the human brain and person with respect to learning. That makes the careless and callous labelling of individuals who have difficulties learning so destructive.

 

Next:  Excerpt # 22:  The Formidable Barrier of Religion