Appropriating Confucius’ conception of lifelong learning: Reconsidering neoliberal perspectives

As an alternative to the neoliberal framework, this paper offers a Confucius conception of lifelong learning (LLL) that, the author argues, provides a pre- ferred perspective. A neoliberal perspective of LLL, by its focus on economic individualism, betrays what LLL strives to attain-the universal good. Economic individualism endorses the view of life as a matter of individual successes and economic gains. This perspective deteriorates mutually flourishing and co-existing human world, which is considered to be the core ground of universal good. This effort to reconstruct mutually flourishing and co-existence values, stipulates to reexamine the neoliberal notions of self, individual freedom, and economic success. Appropriating such concepts of ren (仁), li (禮), and yi (義), the pivotal concepts of Confucius’perspective of LLL provides means for reconsidering such neoliberal notions. This reconsideration is an attempt to reconstruct LLL per- spective.