| In 1860, due to continued pressure from the | | | | spend about 4 years and $50,000 on a degree |
| various employers, the government developed | | | | for the sole purpose of ignoring it later and using it |
| the first education system: to create literate | | | | to apply for jobs! |
| employees. | | | | In conclusion, we create "literate employees" who |
| The employers of the time were finding it | | | | now feel so compelled and "must" get a degree |
| progressively harder to find employees who could | | | | to apply for a job (which we all now know has no |
| read and write. | | | | security anyway) to enter a social and economic |
| So bowing to capitalistic pressures the | | | | environment where they are ill equipped to handle |
| government created a system of public education | | | | the majority of 'free-agent' type thinking |
| with the sole intent of creating "literate | | | | (remember this creativity was eroded during |
| employees". Like the modern army where we | | | | school years during the mania with testing and |
| train people to become soldiers, the education | | | | NOT creativity) and did I mention that the cost of |
| system was created to create "factory workers". | | | | this education was over $50,000 (I can't bear to |
| This was 145 years ago and nothing much has | | | | add in the time before University and the lost |
| changed since. In fact the education system is still | | | | opportunity costs...) |
| producing "literate employees" - not free thinking, | | | | My point? Simple, if you have children remember |
| creative types, but human 'worker bees' or | | | | this about the system, firstly it is a system and it |
| drones. | | | | is antiquated and there solely for the purpose of |
| The education system instigated testing to | | | | creating 'literate employees'. Know that there is no |
| measure advancement and learning but now the | | | | law (at least here in Canada) that says your |
| testing is often more important than the skills | | | | children MUST go to school - you can home |
| they try and train. In fact, most students only | | | | school. That the training they are receiving is not |
| focus on how to "ace the tests". What good is | | | | going to be very helpful in years to come as the |
| that? | | | | work place is becoming more fragmented and a |
| After school the students go on to "higher | | | | free-for-all-free-agent place (remember school |
| education" - there is another oxymoron as | | | | does not train and create entrepreneurs only |
| research shows only a few post graduate | | | | 'workers') and finally that you and I came from |
| students actually end up using their degrees in | | | | this same training and we need to remember |
| their careers. | | | | what we most likely think about or world is |
| Why spend all that time, energy and money only | | | | probably wrong... |
| to not use the degree? | | | | How we perceive our environment is a function |
| When asked why they went to University, or | | | | of how we think about it, and how we think |
| why they got a degree the student answers | | | | about our environment was 'trained' into us by |
| were frighteningly similar - "to get a job". | | | | the early educators we were exposed to (school, |
| We have created a system were the apparent | | | | the place where 'literate employers are created). |
| need to get a job is so great that people will | | | | |