Why Self-Education is better than Standardized Education

[Razard86]

Watch this video to understand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1yl0MFYzXc

[Leo Gura]

Why is it better to work for yourself than be a slave?

[Razard86]

Just now, Leo Gura said:

Why is it better to work for yourself than be a slave?

Well my perspective, because you can create what you want, but hey some like being slaves and I won't judge them for desiring that. But sometimes....isn't it nice to set the terms of your day and what you do based on what you desire?

[UnbornTao]

Both approaches have their own benefits and drawbacks, of course.

I'm glad I received formal education up until the age of 17. However, the school system is archaic; it feels like Windows 98. 

As the saying goes: "democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others."

In the same way, then: "the current educational system is the worst form of mass education there is, except for all the others." I'm all in for massive transformation of it.

On the other hand, introverted and independent individuals like me still conserve their innate curiosity from childhood and passion for learning. Kindling that fire is key, even more so than rote memorization. For us, self-education is and will continue to be a treasure throughout our lifetimes. Following this approach is deeply inspiring and exhilarating since you get to be in the driver's seat.

I very much resonate with Robinson's message and teaching style. School kills initiative and creativity for the most part but also gives a mediocre educational foundation for society, which is better than none.

Edited July 6, 2022 by UnbornTao

[LastThursday]

Definitely the emphasis in education is a bad fit for most people.

It's all about educating the masses for the workforce. Since employers are about optimising for profits and efficiency, they naturally want the most bang for their buck and so want to hire the "brightest" candidates. To know who's brightest you have to measure it somehow, and hence the heavy emphasis on exams and grades. Since most exams are fixed to a curriculum, there's a natural presssure to want to just "pass the exams" to get on in life.

I don't know what the answer is here. Should young kids even go to school? Finland starts at age six or seven I think. 

Schools should definitely be teaching meta skills. Like, life skills and how to accelerate your own learning, how to collaborate and how to be creative, how to meditate and introspect etc. Also the breadth of subjects needs to expand hugely and to have a lot more overlap between them. And, if Johnny likes making pottery, and Jane likes coding, they should be able to explore that fully and with professional guidance. I've known teacher friends teaching subjects they know hardly anything about (e.g. languages). 

There's also no reason directed learning should stop at 18 or adulthood. Perhaps, the school system should taper off rather than stop dead at a certain age.