Well maybe life wouldn't be so tedious if the education system didn't condition people to accept tedium so readily. — Jake Tarragon
But I guess you are right to say that the tediousness of education works. Employers gain a subservience filter, albeit of a higher functioning sort at higher education level — Jake Tarragon
universities gain easy business, while students gain a spell of social adventure and an opportunity to be a higher paid drone. Social adventure at the higher drone level apart, it ain't pretty that's for sure. — Jake Tarragon
Many schools opened based on Summerhill, especially in America in the 1960s. A common challenge was to implement Neill's dictum of "Freedom, not license": "A free school is not a place where you can run roughshod over other people. It's a place that minimises the authoritarian elements and maximises the development of community and really caring about the other people. Doing this is a tricky business."
There is not a single nation on earth beside the U.S. that has a super carrier, yet we are about to build 10 more, ontop of the 10 we already have. The cost 4-6 billion a piece. Why are taxes spent on this shit? The 'market' has corrupted everything; education, war, medical care, and food. Is that not obvious? — XanderTheGrey
I think its obvious — XanderTheGrey
Best worldy option? To what ends? — Jake Tarragon
Employers gain a subservience filter, albeit of a higher functioning sort at higher education level They also have a similar lower status one for all younger school attenders of course. And universities gain easy business, while students gain a spell of social adventure and an opportunity to be a higher paid drone. Social adventure at the higher drone level apart, it ain't pretty that's for sure. — Jake Tarragon
Summerhill gets wheeled out a lot in these sort of discussions, I find. That's probably because it's such a rare institution. But if you delve into it, you will find it is all about delivering a standard curriculum of standard gradeable subjects and exams - it's just the means are more laid back. I am pretty certain that if it abandoned such a commitment then the government, which is always snapping at its heels, would shut it down. The British law is designed to prevent educational routes being offered (except as a live parent) that are different from what the government deems as acceptable. Interestingly, in Bertie Russell's essay "Freedom Versus Authority in Education" he describes how his education was sabotaged by the authorities of the time - his deceased father had stipulated in his will that his son was to receive an education that was free of religious and patriotic indoctrination, but the courts overturned it.I really like the idea of Summer Hill — Bitter Crank
For sure. But let no one study geology seriously who is not seriously and happily interested in it.Experimentation carried too far, of course, would result in too much jumping from thing to thing without enough persistence to actually acquire knowledge--like solid working knowledge of geology, for example. — Bitter Crank
Even if we lived in a perfected society where individuals were free to leisurely pursue all their interests, there would still be tedious activities. Example: memorizing Latin declensions. Even if you greatly desire to learn Latin, and find learning Latin a pleasure, committing all that to memory (especially as an adult) is just plain hard work and, at times, quite tedious — Bitter Crank
President Nixon closed most of the Job Corps in 1969 when he took office. — Bitter Crank
So, how does one lower tuition is the next logical question if there is at all any answer? — Posty McPostface
However, the job market has evolved over time to increase the required skills a person needs to be able to get a "living wage". So, there's that issue of inflating the importance of college. — Posty McPostface
One problem is the parasite class of University professors, many of whom have given themselves very high salaries. And even more so University management, which has even more ridiculous salaries. Some of these people can earn up to $3m/year. Uni of Chicago President earns around that >:O . Why does he earn that much? Because:Brilliant insight and explanation. But, one has to understand that it wouldn't be an issue if tuition was so high. So, how does one lower tuition is the next logical question if there is at all any answer? — Posty McPostface
Sometimes I miss physical work, but I've been indoctrinated by my culture that physical work should be avoided if possible. I worked in construction as a labourer for an NGO, but only when I was super young, like 16-18, can't remember the exact age. You worked a lot, but at night you fell asleep so peacefully, and I remember you'd be so tired, even food tasted better when you finally had dinner. Nowadays I only do mental work - web development and marketing. It's easier physically, but more taxing psychically - I think we were designed to find happiness in some degree of physical work.The wages are often quite good, and for many people material work (rather than symbolic work) is preferable. — Bitter Crank
Well in certain cases yes, due to medical costs or family. But it really depends on the individual person and the country/social system under which they live.If you're 18 and working your ass off making a small salary, you can sleep peacefully. If you're 48 and doing the same, you can't. Making rent and having a little beer money left over isn't enough at a certain point. — Hanover
I don't think so, even today, I have often thought about doing a business that involves something physical, not services / IT (but I probably won't because I don't feel as confident in my abilities there). It's something that I guess you understand once you work in something like this. It gets psychologically tiring working with computers all the time. Though the problems you do solve are interesting, and sometimes you even get to learn something different in the process too.Sounds like you're reminiscing about having little responsibility, not about having the chance to physically labor. If you do find physical labor therapeutic, you can work in your garden. I suppose that's why people do that. — Hanover
I think such a thing literarily doesn't exist. I haven't found a thing that I can't do if I put in the time. Really, and that includes things I'm naturally clumsy and incapable at. It's all in the mind. If you have the right mindset, and are determined never to give up no matter what, then you'll find a way. Most people give up too soon.You were fortunate in that you had the aptitude to program. Spare a thought for the teeming thousands of entrants to computer science degrees who only found out that they didn't have this aptitude until they had already enrolled. It is one of the scandals of higher education of recent years. Your professor was laughing all the way to the bank. — Jake Tarragon
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