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The New York Times did an entire newspaper section on the question of "What is school for?" with essays contributed on a dozen different subjects
This particular person, Bryan Caplan, thinks that school is mostly pointless. Among other things, it doesn't seem to have crossed his mind that a major thing that school does is introduce kids to areas that may go on to interest them. It's worth noting that the author is a university professor, so clearly he benefitted by schooling.
I totally disagree with him but thought it might be of interest.
School Is for Wasting Time and Money
I have deep doubts about the intellectual and social value of schooling. My argument in a nutshell: First, everyone leaves school eventually. Second, most of what you learn in school doesn’t matter after graduation. Third, human beings soon forget knowledge they rarely use.
When schools shuttered, they stopped performing their sole undeniably valuable function: providing day care. In-person schooling allows parents to work full-time without distraction. In-person schooling allows parents to take care of infants and elders. In-person schooling allows parents to finish their household chores. And in-person schooling allows parents to relax. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/01/o...knowledge.html
A lot of life is just kinda ... going through the motions.
I'm actually quite lucky that I found something I'm quite passionate about. Unfortunately, I discovered it a bit late, and the way my parents raised me ... it's was not conducive to risk taking. In retrospect, I should have just gone for it.
But for many/most people they never find a passion, and the goal is to make as much money as possible while working the least amount of hours possible.
In that sense, education is part of the status quo for the lemmings, you could say. It separates people competitively and places them in various day jobber careers. It keeps people rowing the oars, churning the windmill, etc. Education also keeps tons of people employed.
People who are really exceptional don't need formal education ... like a pro tennis player who is home schooled, etc. I don't have an issue with K-12. The emphasis could be different, and the days could be shorter. But...
One big change that could really benefit society is that college education and careers could be less ageist. That could allow people to enter new careers more easily. I think that would help.
Personal belief. Schools in USA need a big reform. First, get rid of regulations that prevent school faculty from more quickly removing problem students. Second, make it easier for school faculty to fail and hold back students that fail, especially in elementary grade levels where holding back doesn’t effect them as negatively. Activist teachers and teachers unions seem more focused on pushing their agenda on students instead of teaching the assigned lessons. No student should be moving from elementary school to middle school while still unable to read at even a 3rd grade level. No student should be graduating from middle school to high school without knowing the basics of the US Government and US History as well as a certain level of math, reading, and science. Sadly far too many graduate barely able to read, cannot name the three branches of the US government and give a basic explanation of each branch, and don’t understand the US Constitution and Bill of Rights is to protect the citizens by setting on the US Government.
Sadly far too many graduate barely able to read, cannot name the three branches of the US government and give a basic explanation of each branch, and don’t understand the US Constitution and Bill of Rights is to protect the citizens by setting on the US Government.
This is nothing new. I know plenty of old(er) people who have no clue how the government works. Sure you can blame the school but at some point you have to put a large portion of the blame on the individual.
If children are not working on farms, in factories, and in mines they need to be in school. Otherwise they'd just be running wild mugging people and stealing stuff. So in that respect school is not a waste of time and money for society.
A lot of life is just kinda ... going through the motions.
I'm actually quite lucky that I found something I'm quite passionate about. Unfortunately, I discovered it a bit late, and the way my parents raised me ... it's was not conducive to risk taking. In retrospect, I should have just gone for it.
But for many/most people they never find a passion, and the goal is to make as much money as possible while working the least amount of hours possible.
In that sense, education is part of the status quo for the lemmings, you could say. It separates people competitively and places them in various day jobber careers. It keeps people rowing the oars, churning the windmill, etc. Education also keeps tons of people employed.
People who are really exceptional don't need formal education ... like a pro tennis player who is home schooled, etc. I don't have an issue with K-12. The emphasis could be different, and the days could be shorter. But...
One big change that could really benefit society is that college education and careers could be less ageist. That could allow people to enter new careers more easily. I think that would help.
What is the passion that you found? I thought that you were a civil engineer and not very passionate about it.
What is the passion that you found? I thought that you were a civil engineer and not very passionate about it.
Music. I play various types of music and have done so for 25+ years.
I have a degree in Civil Engineering. That has always been about trying to find various degrees of a more interesting, less punishing day job. Not a passion.
Music. I play various types of music and have done so for 25+ years.
I have a degree in Civil Engineering. That has always been about trying to find various degrees of a more interesting, less punishing day job. Not a passion.
I am guessing that you are not making money as a musician, and you are still working as a civil engineer.
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