How to deal with the absence of creativity and critical thinking in the educational setting is discussed. All efforts to improve education will be futile if we don't take into account the absence of relationship among the participants and between the participants and the content of education. Relationship--i.e., connecting with others and with knowledge and ideas in a way that provides support for excellence--is essential for enthusiasm, the emotional ingredient necessary for creativity and critical thinking. Egocentered thinking and feeling foster psychological barriers that corrupt relationship. Passion and silent watching free the mind of the psychological barriers that corrupt relationship. Creativity and critical thinking are inherent when human beings are doing and being together in fun, learning, and discovery. If we have been unable to connect in this way, it is because our egocentered thoughts and feelings have fostered fear, imitation, boredom, measurement, competition, evaluation, and judgment. There is no need to foster something that is inherent; the need is to see what prevents the expression of creativity and critical thinking. (RM)