Submitting as a student to the authority of a teacher is quickest and surest way to gain wisdom and knowledge.

The student/teacher, or "classroom", protocol, in which the student submits to the authority of a teacher, is optimal for the transfer of knowledge and wisdom. Teaching is an act of love, and in essence, this "wholesome connection" is a transfer, in wo direction only, of knowledge and wisdom. The teacher must be paid, and the teacher will occasionally learn something from the student, but neither of these aspects are material to the essence of the act. What is essential is that the relationship enables the teacher to craft the experience, and thereby craft the student. In the student/teacher protocol, the teacher is the potter, and the student is the clay pot spinning on his wheel.

In contrast, the peer, or "workshop" / "seminar" protocol, in which all participants interact as peers, is optimal for the development of knowledge and wisdom. This protocol is in essence a round table discussion by peers of a particular set of proposed ideas, which are typically presented in a paper that is distributed in advance of the discussion. The discussion will typically begin in student/teacher mode, during which the presenter will introduce the topic and answer clarifying questions. But once all participants are clear about what is being claimed, the discussion becomes peer to peer, with no one speaking in authority.

In the student/teacher protocol, submission by the student to the authority of the teacher is essential. Since submission is required by the student/teacher roles, it is not a defeat and does not diminish the social stature of the student. In contrast, during a peer discussion, prevailing in an argument does constitute a win, and losing an argument does constitute a defeat, just as a football team can win, or lose, a game. So, for each participant, the psychology and motivations and goals of the two formats differ. In a workshop or seminar, especially among male participants, it's all about competition and winning the game. In contrast, a student/teacher interaction is not at all competitive; it is the giving, and receipt, of a gift.

IDEAFARM.COM invites visitors to begin as students, work toward receiving the CM, and then, as graduates, become peers. The peer phase can involve graduate study or collective action, or both. The working objective of the graduate study program is to rapidly revise this page to develop a course of teachings that are effective in empowering The People worldwide, that are stated concisely in everyday language, and that are illustrated using parables and stories and poems that can be understood and enjoyed by everywo. The objective of the collective action program is to bring these empowerment teachings to The People worldwide and to organize empowerment coalitions ("villages"). The registration fees paid by students function partly as "earnest money" so that the teaching effort can focus on students who are serious about working toward the CM.