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Ever considered that a dumb population is easier to manage than an intelligent one? How hard would it be to maintain control and order of an entire population of people who thought about issues and subjects in a critical and logical manner, or even a curious population for that matter?
Stupid people are like cattle, you point them to the field, they graze, get fat, remain happy and oblivious and never know any better. One day, they are in a shoot getting on a truck being sent off to slaughter and they do so with full bellies and not a concern in the world.
In the case of people we are taught and conditioned from birth that the accumulation of "things and stuff" is our ultimate goal. The education we receive is directed at finding positions that are proportionate to our level of education and in turn, to the level of the stuff we can acquire. An easy cause and effect where the returns are immediate and tangible, as once you have that new 50", you need no longer think about things, someone on the tube has already done it for you. You merely need to find some programming you agree with and kick back, case closed.
Sophisticated cattle, little more.
I was thinking sheep, but cattle will do.
My great fear (my wife is a teacher) as I look at students, is the fact that prior generations made great sacrifices to propel us in almost unimaginable ways to where we are now. What will they do? The two most important subjects are the greatest failed - math and the ability to read and write. All else stems from there, and the constant programing only seeks to stifle the creative mind and whittle it into a dull stick. I'm resolved to the fact that we just need a new product that need large factories in large supply.
My great fear (my wife is a teacher) as I look at students, is the fact that prior generations made great sacrifices to propel us in almost unimaginable ways to where we are now. What will they do? The two most important subjects are the greatest failed - math and the ability to read and write. All else stems from there, and the constant programing only seeks to stifle the creative mind and whittle it into a dull stick. I'm resolved to the fact that we just need a new product that need large factories in large supply.
Well if we were more focused on what we could achieve instead of what we can posses, then I suspect our manner of education would change.
If for instance our next President said that they believed the best way to get America out of its funk was to colonize Mars then terraform it, and utilize it. Now the national goal is one that requires more math, more science, etc... as it would have to be a long term endeavor. It would take time, it would require great expense and the benefits wouldn't even be entirely known until after the fact. It is after all, risky business.
While I am not entirely sure why but we seem to ask ourselves, "can we afford to do it" (whatever it may be) instead of simply, "can we do it". Without a compass heading, we are merely sailing in circles in an already known world. Boredom.
Ever considered that a dumb population is easier to manage than an intelligent one? How hard would it be to maintain control and order of an entire population of people who thought about issues and subjects in a critical and logical manner, or even a curious population for that matter?
Stupid people are like cattle, you point them to the field, they graze, get fat, remain happy and oblivious and never know any better. One day, they are in a shoot getting on a truck being sent off to slaughter and they do so with full bellies and not a concern in the world.
In the case of people we are taught and conditioned from birth that the accumulation of "things and stuff" is our ultimate goal. The education we receive is directed at finding positions that are proportionate to our level of education and in turn, to the level of the stuff we can acquire. An easy cause and effect where the returns are immediate and tangible, as once you have that new 50", you need no longer think about things, someone on the tube has already done it for you. You merely need to find some programming you agree with and kick back, case closed.
Sophisticated cattle, little more.
I agree completely with everything that you have said. Lack of a real education, over-emphasis on "stuff", not asking questions, this is what makes us vulnerable. If we do not learn how to adapt to the changing world climate, if we do not find a way to produce a workforce that is competative globally, we are doomed. The scary part is that people don't even realizing that it's happening, they know that things are changing, they don't like the changes, but rather than look deeper into issues and try to figure out a way to make choices that are going to best serve us, they just give knee-jerk reactions to things. It's an endless circle of reacting to things that could have been avoided with a little foresight.
My great fear (my wife is a teacher) as I look at students, is the fact that prior generations made great sacrifices to propel us in almost unimaginable ways to where we are now. What will they do? The two most important subjects are the greatest failed - math and the ability to read and write. All else stems from there, and the constant programing only seeks to stifle the creative mind and whittle it into a dull stick. I'm resolved to the fact that we just need a new product that need large factories in large supply.
For multiple reasons we need to do away with brick and mortar schools. They are expensive and require large amounts of tax dollars for staffing. We clearly should be looking at applied technology instead of teachers and consolidated learning sites instead of schools. There are over 2.8 million teachers in the United States. How many things can you name that 2.8 million Americans do well? Do you want your kid to have teachers 1-1 million? Think about it most kids don't have a teacher who is in the top million of their craft.
Well if we were more focused on what we could achieve instead of what we can posses, then I suspect our manner of education would change.
If for instance our next President said that they believed the best way to get America out of its funk was to colonize Mars then terraform it, and utilize it. Now the national goal is one that requires more math, more science, etc... as it would have to be a long term endeavor. It would take time, it would require great expense and the benefits wouldn't even be entirely known until after the fact. It is after all, risky business.
While I am not entirely sure why but we seem to ask ourselves, "can we afford to do it" (whatever it may be) instead of simply, "can we do it". Without a compass heading, we are merely sailing in circles in an already known world. Boredom.
Well said but I can't give you any more points til I spread some more around.
Do the brightest and best go into education?
NO< NO< NO I know that. Do some go in yes. Do enough no.
What incentive is there for them to do so? And so many children are not at all interested in learning. The parents of these kids must step up and take the responsibility to inspire them to want to excel.
I think that we need to keep our brick and mortar schools. What the students of today need now more than ever is to have more disciplining by the adults in their lives and more uniformity and structure. The regular old fashioned classroom setting is best for developing their socializing skills. Again, the students need their parents and family to understand why bullying is not to tolerated or done to others.
Learning online is NOT the way to go for our future youth. Maybe for certain specialized topics or to interact globally with other young people in other cultures.
I agree completely with everything that you have said. Lack of a real education, over-emphasis on "stuff", not asking questions, this is what makes us vulnerable. If we do not learn how to adapt to the changing world climate, if we do not find a way to produce a workforce that is competative globally, we are doomed. The scary part is that people don't even realizing that it's happening, they know that things are changing, they don't like the changes, but rather than look deeper into issues and try to figure out a way to make choices that are going to best serve us, they just give knee-jerk reactions to things. It's an endless circle of reacting to things that could have been avoided with a little foresight.
I would say we are already adapting, adopting, and most importantly, reacting to the changing global environment. What would be nice to see is leading it instead of following it. We certainly have the technical sophistication, we have enough educated people to realize it, but why we don't isn't entirely clear to me. I'm wandering through the weeds trying to get my mind around a lot of "why" stuff like the rest of us.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TuborgP
For multiple reasons we need to do away with brick and mortar schools. They are expensive and require large amounts of tax dollars for staffing. We clearly should be looking at applied technology instead of teachers and consolidated learning sites instead of schools. There are over 2.8 million teachers in the United States. How many things can you name that 2.8 million Americans do well? Do you want your kid to have teachers 1-1 million? Think about it most kids don't have a teacher who is in the top million of their craft.
I could not agree with this more. There is so much more to learning than just what is inside the box. It brings me great sadness to see things like the arts or philosophy treated with such disregard. While alternative types of education and learning are probably best saved for their own thread, how can we expect a new world to emerge from from the level of thinking that got us into the situation we are in now.
What incentive is there for them to do so? And so many children are not at all interested in learning. The parents of these kids must step up and take the responsibility to inspire them to want to excel.
I think that we need to keep our brick and mortar schools. What the students of today need now more than ever is to have more disciplining by the adults in their lives and more uniformity and structure. The regular old fashioned classroom setting is best for developing their socializing skills. Again, the students need their parents and family to understand why bullying is not to tolerated or done to others.
Learning online is NOT the way to go for our future youth. Maybe for certain specialized topics or to interact globally with other young people in other cultures.
have you looked at the cost of school construction in growing areas. The impact on the capital budget is staggering. Then as the population ages the schools are not needed. As demographics change schools are needed elsewhere. Look to next years school budgets in many places to see significant disruptions. Property assessments going down? Which means operating budgets go down. Energy costs soar for transportation etc etc etc.
What you speak of might be noble but at what cost and what quality control. Do you really want your child to have teacher 2.5 million in quality. The wealthiest are most able to afford to live together where they can pool their resources and build new schools and afford to pay more to draw the best teachers. In addition unless we find a way to improve the teaching pool what you want in socialization may still best be done by parents. You suggest parents must step up. Are these the same parents who failed school 10 years ago? Yes WE'RE SCREWED.
Are we screwed? Hmmm seems like we keep expecting the mediocre to do the things to prevent us from being.
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