Freedom and Education

Laura Reyes3 said:People love to claim that schools are where morality goes to die. Sure, that happens sometimes, but let’s be real—it happens just as often at home.
In both settings, you’ll find endless examples of characters being broken—or, occasionally, some integrity actually being preserved. It really comes down to an individual's innate nature and how much effort is actually put into their upbringing...

The Education of an Orator / Marcus Fabius Quintilianus. 1st Century AD.

Even so, Quintilian leaned toward the value of schools and public education.

Education before the year 2000 and the bureaucratic nightmare we’re stuck with today? They aren't even in the same universe.

Ronald Howard3 said:First off, I disagree that school is about "learning"—it's more about breaking you down so you fit into the system. I was an honors student, sure, but only because my parents pressured me into thinking it was vital. Honestly, 90% of it was just wasted time—most teachers are just losers clinging to a paycheck while pretending to be authority figures. Kids see right through it now, especially when they see guys like "Piggy" making bank and living the dream. Even look at Secretary Banožić failing a grade back in the day, while the current elite thrives after scaring us with threats about being locked up in minimum-security prisons.

Why doesn't anyone ask why we lack basic financial literacy? It's because the system wants us to be debt-ridden slaves—it makes people much easier to control that way. It’s baffling how many parents just hand their kids over to this system and trust total strangers to do a better job of raising them than they could themselves.😵

What exactly is the point of school if not to learn? We spend all those years grinding through geography, biology, chemistry, physics, and math. Then there’s the endless cycle of English grammar, literature, sociology, and psychology... it feels like an exhaustive list of subjects designed to fill every waking hour.

I certainly agree that school plays a major role in socialization, alongside the influence of family and friends. However, I wouldn't call it breaking someone down; rather, I see it as a process of formation.

Ronald Howard3 said:First off, I disagree that school is about "learning"—it's more about breaking you down so you fit into the system. I was an honors student, sure, but only because my parents pressured me into thinking it was vital. Honestly, 90% of it was just wasted time—most teachers are just losers clinging to a paycheck while pretending to be authority figures. Kids see right through it now, especially when they see guys like "Piggy" making bank and living the dream. Even look at Secretary Banožić failing a grade back in the day, while the current elite thrives after scaring us with threats about being locked up in minimum-security prisons.

Why doesn't anyone ask why we lack basic financial literacy? It's because the system wants us to be debt-ridden slaves—it makes people much easier to control that way. It’s baffling how many parents just hand their kids over to this system and trust total strangers to do a better job of raising them than they could themselves.😵

Unfortunately, it’s true. Teachers are dealing with such meager salaries that the quality of educators in our school systems has taken a massive hit. Anyone with even a shred of mobility has jumped ship from education to chase better-paying roles elsewhere. It is, quite frankly, a devastating oversight by modern society. If we want a future filled with educated, capable citizens, we have to stop neglecting the very people responsible for shaping them.

Ronald Howard3 said:First off, I disagree that school is about "learning"—it's more about breaking you down so you fit into the system. I was an honors student, sure, but only because my parents pressured me into thinking it was vital. Honestly, 90% of it was just wasted time—most teachers are just losers clinging to a paycheck while pretending to be authority figures. Kids see right through it now, especially when they see guys like "Piggy" making bank and living the dream. Even look at Secretary Banožić failing a grade back in the day, while the current elite thrives after scaring us with threats about being locked up in minimum-security prisons.

Why doesn't anyone ask why we lack basic financial literacy? It's because the system wants us to be debt-ridden slaves—it makes people much easier to control that way. It’s baffling how many parents just hand their kids over to this system and trust total strangers to do a better job of raising them than they could themselves.😵

I couldn't agree more. It’s one of those deep-seated issues plaguing modern society today—this pervasive idea that money has become the sole metric of human worth. We've reached a point where people believe your value is strictly tied to your bank balance; if you have wealth, you're considered important, regardless of how you actually acquired it. It’s a cynical way to live.

Ronald Howard3 said:First off, I disagree that school is about "learning"—it's more about breaking you down so you fit into the system. I was an honors student, sure, but only because my parents pressured me into thinking it was vital. Honestly, 90% of it was just wasted time—most teachers are just losers clinging to a paycheck while pretending to be authority figures. Kids see right through it now, especially when they see guys like "Piggy" making bank and living the dream. Even look at Secretary Banožić failing a grade back in the day, while the current elite thrives after scaring us with threats about being locked up in minimum-security prisons.

Why doesn't anyone ask why we lack basic financial literacy? It's because the system wants us to be debt-ridden slaves—it makes people much easier to control that way. It’s baffling how many parents just hand their kids over to this system and trust total strangers to do a better job of raising them than they could themselves.😵

It’s hard to argue against the fact that our politicians set an incredibly poor example for the younger generation. We're seeing a clear case of negative selection at play here; it feels like the people gravitating toward politics today are often just those who couldn't quite make it in any other field.

Picture any Cabinet Secretary trying to run a corporation with a thousand employees... or even just attempting a job that actually requires a modicum of expertise. Most people wouldn't even trust them to watch a drawing of a sheep.

Ronald Howard3 said:First off, I disagree that school is about "learning"—it's more about breaking you down so you fit into the system. I was an honors student, sure, but only because my parents pressured me into thinking it was vital. Honestly, 90% of it was just wasted time—most teachers are just losers clinging to a paycheck while pretending to be authority figures. Kids see right through it now, especially when they see guys like "Piggy" making bank and living the dream. Even look at Secretary Banožić failing a grade back in the day, while the current elite thrives after scaring us with threats about being locked up in minimum-security prisons.

Why doesn't anyone ask why we lack basic financial literacy? It's because the system wants us to be debt-ridden slaves—it makes people much easier to control that way. It’s baffling how many parents just hand their kids over to this system and trust total strangers to do a better job of raising them than they could themselves.😵

You make a fair point there; economics really should be integrated into the curriculum instead of religious studies. Back when I was in high school, I actually had economics classes—along with typing and several other practical skills that turned out to be quite useful.

That said, the most vital thing my education provided was teaching me *how* to learn and how to remain a lifelong student. I am profoundly grateful for that, as I wouldn't have achieved what I have today without those foundational habits.

Ronald Howard3 said:First off, I disagree that school is about "learning"—it's more about breaking you down so you fit into the system. I was an honors student, sure, but only because my parents pressured me into thinking it was vital. Honestly, 90% of it was just wasted time—most teachers are just losers clinging to a paycheck while pretending to be authority figures. Kids see right through it now, especially when they see guys like "Piggy" making bank and living the dream. Even look at Secretary Banožić failing a grade back in the day, while the current elite thrives after scaring us with threats about being locked up in minimum-security prisons.

Why doesn't anyone ask why we lack basic financial literacy? It's because the system wants us to be debt-ridden slaves—it makes people much easier to control that way. It’s baffling how many parents just hand their kids over to this system and trust total strangers to do a better job of raising them than they could themselves.😵

The truth is, many parents simply don't possess the specific knowledge required to teach their children these things. It isn't quite as straightforward as it looks on the surface.

Ronald Howard3 said:Education before the year 2000 and the bureaucratic nightmare we’re stuck with today? They aren't even in the same universe.

The world two millennia ago and the world we inhabit now are fundamentally different. Imagine if a thirty-year-old man from two thousand years ago suddenly woke up in a bed in modern-day New York City. Today's students need to prepare for the reality of the world twenty years from now, not learn how to tend to sheep like someone from antiquity.

Ronald Howard3 said:Education before the year 2000 and the bureaucratic nightmare we’re stuck with today? They aren't even in the same universe.

There’s more red tape in the healthcare system than in schools—so why not start a philosophical debate about abolishing hospitals altogether?

There’s more red tape in the defense department than in schools—so why not start a philosophical debate about abolishing the military?

There’s more red tape in the banking sector than in schools—so why not start a philosophical debate about abolishing banks?

There’s more red tape in the legal system than in schools—so why not start a philosophical debate about abolishing the courts?

The Roman education system was pretty much what you're advocating for, and the most famous educational theorist in Rome concluded that public schools are actually a good thing...

Ronald Howard3 said:First off, I disagree that school is about "learning"—it's more about breaking you down so you fit into the system. I was an honors student, sure, but only because my parents pressured me into thinking it was vital. Honestly, 90% of it was just wasted time—most teachers are just losers clinging to a paycheck while pretending to be authority figures. Kids see right through it now, especially when they see guys like "Piggy" making bank and living the dream. Even look at Secretary Banožić failing a grade back in the day, while the current elite thrives after scaring us with threats about being locked up in minimum-security prisons.

Why doesn't anyone ask why we lack basic financial literacy? It's because the system wants us to be debt-ridden slaves—it makes people much easier to control that way. It’s baffling how many parents just hand their kids over to this system and trust total strangers to do a better job of raising them than they could themselves.😵

That was their own problem to deal with. How many children do you have? Personally, I don’t push my kids to be straight-A students; I didn't pressure mine to achieve that way either, and looking back, it turns out I ended up being far more educated than most of those honor roll perfectionists from my entire high school. I was considered a "good" student during my freshman, sophomore, and junior years—though I actually had to attend summer school for two subjects during my freshman year! By senior year, I finished with a "pretty good" standing, boasting a GPA somewhere around a 3.5. To be honest, I definitely coasted on charm for a few grades, specifically in Chemistry and Biochemistry. But fast forward several years later—not immediately, mind you—and I pursued a serious professional education, while most of those honor roll kids mostly stayed exactly where they were.

Steven Clark2 said:

Ronald Howard3 As I have previously noted: To was, quite frankly, an exercise in futility; more than 90% of it was nothing more than a colossal waste of time.

That is certainly true, though I wouldn't say it’s always a bad thing. 😁 Is forum debating just another way to waste our time while we sit here typing away? Honestly, I have to wonder. But perhaps the point lies in that small 10%—those rare moments or people that actually make life worth living. You could enroll in any university in the country and eventually come to the same realization. You grind through a degree, thinking you’ve finally achieved something significant, only to realize the whole thing can feel like a bit of a joke. Even those holding doctorates or PhDs face this reality. True education and genuine intellectual quality only really begin once you actually immerse yourself in academic circles, yet so few people ever do. Most individuals reach a certain level of schooling and simply decide they’ve done enough, choosing to stay right where they are instead of pursuing true mastery.

Eric Newman75 said:Look, I totally get the argument that different people need different skill sets, and yeah, maybe even different levels of depth in those subjects. But there’s a core set of knowledge that just shouldn't be up for debate. Whether you're headed for an Ivy League university or straight into a trade school, you’re going to need math, biology, and language skills. Period. There shouldn't be any "watering down" there. It’s honestly embarrassing when people can't wrap their heads around basic percentages or have zero clue how their own bodies actually function. This whole pandemic situation really drove home the fact that a huge chunk of the population can't even tell the difference between a bacterium and a virus. And don't even get me started on the literacy crisis. High schoolers wouldn't have ever realized that versi refers to specific lines of poetry if they weren't so disconnected from literature—mostly because nobody reads anymore. You've got adults asking what a himba even is. They seem to have a knack for being two-faced and hypocritical, though I highly doubt they'd even recognize their own hypocrisy or the concept of a "hine," which, by the way, comes from the verb hiniti. I even heard about some kids reading works by HLAPIĆ who were asking what klinčići were, and their teacher—completely baffled by this total lack of logic and imagination—just told them they were little nails.

The school system isn't the villain in every single story, just like it isn't the hero responsible for everything.

I must confess, I have never felt the slightest bit of shame about being a bit stingy when it comes to calculating percentages. 😁 I know exactly how to calculate a 12% markup because that is the standard sales tax rate around here. Since prices are always listed without tax included, you just add that 12% to the sticker price to figure out how much they are actually going to fleece you for. As for any other percentage, I either have no use for it or I simply look it up online. To be perfectly honest, during all my years living in Canada, I can only recall calculating a percentage two or three times—and even then, it was mostly just for some statistics regarding the Eastern Front. 😁

Ronald Howard3 said:Education before the year 2000 and the bureaucratic nightmare we’re stuck with today? They aren't even in the same universe.

While it is true that almost nothing remains the same after two millennia, I believe that point is somewhat secondary. My concern is that, broadly speaking, people today seem less literate or less informed than at any other point in history. If this trend persists, we will see a steady decline in literacy from one generation to the next. The reasoning is quite straightforward: the exponential growth of human knowledge. In order to remain relevant, I feel we must exert significantly more effort to stay informed; even then, much of what we consider settled knowledge is often obsolete without us even realizing it because we haven't kept pace. When you compound that effect over several decades, the result is quite staggering.

Furthermore, we exist within an era defined by mass media, mass production, mass consumption, and mass everything else; consequently, mass education has become a hallmark of modern American society. Whether this is viewed as a benefit or a detriment depends entirely on one's perspective. Every generation has grappled with similar ideological clashes, as the youth constantly introduce "novelty" while the older cohorts frequently dismiss anything "new" as inherently flawed. It is a cycle that seems destined to repeat indefinitely.

Laura Reyes3 said:There’s more red tape in the healthcare system than in schools—so why not start a philosophical debate about abolishing hospitals altogether?

There’s more red tape in the defense department than in schools—so why not start a philosophical debate about abolishing the military?

There’s more red tape in the banking sector than in schools—so why not start a philosophical debate about abolishing banks?

There’s more red tape in the legal system than in schools—so why not start a philosophical debate about abolishing the courts?

The Roman education system was pretty much what you're advocating for, and the most famous educational theorist in Rome concluded that public schools are actually a good thing...

If I don't like a specific approach or a treatment plan, I can just walk out of the hospital and seek care elsewhere—or try a different method entirely.

Our military is essentially pointless anyway since we're just playing proxy for someone else. Over the last year, we’ve handed over billions of dollars worth of weapons to a country we have zero connection with—that's nearly a thousand bucks per employee (30,000 machine guns, hundreds of mortars, 14 helicopters...).

We’re all forced to use banks to some degree, but crypto exists specifically because of the flaws in the banking system—it allows for direct transactions without middlemen or needing anyone's permission.

Our courts are such a mess that they might be better off non-existent.

Did the most famous education theorist in Rome have to deal with inspectors, endless regulations, and angry parents? Did he have to stick to a rigid curriculum and teach in one specific way, or did he have the freedom to explore topics alongside his students? Did he have the authority to remove a student who was sabotaging class or bullying others? Did he even have the right to discipline them? Just a reminder: in America, homeschooling isn't really a formal concept here—you basically have to hand your child over to "expert" strangers to be "educated."

Ronald Howard3 said:If I don't like a specific approach or a treatment plan, I can just walk out of the hospital and seek care elsewhere—or try a different method entirely.

Our military is essentially pointless anyway since we're just playing proxy for someone else. Over the last year, we’ve handed over billions of dollars worth of weapons to a country we have zero connection with—that's nearly a thousand bucks per employee (30,000 machine guns, hundreds of mortars, 14 helicopters...).

We’re all forced to use banks to some degree, but crypto exists specifically because of the flaws in the banking system—it allows for direct transactions without middlemen or needing anyone's permission.

Our courts are such a mess that they might be better off non-existent.

Did the most famous education theorist in Rome have to deal with inspectors, endless regulations, and angry parents? Did he have to stick to a rigid curriculum and teach in one specific way, or did he have the freedom to explore topics alongside his students? Did he have the authority to remove a student who was sabotaging class or bullying others? Did he even have the right to discipline them? Just a reminder: in America, homeschooling isn't really a formal concept here—you basically have to hand your child over to "expert" strangers to be "educated."

A hospital is a hospital—it doesn't really matter which one you walk into. But you aren't exactly going to let someone without a board certification touch you... can't really risk that. You always have the right to walk away, though.

Quincy:

Our military is essentially pointless—we’re nothing more than someone else's errand boys. Over the last year alone, we’ve handed over a billion dollars worth of weaponry to a country we have absolutely zero common ground with. That works out to nearly a thousand bucks per employee... 30,000 machine guns, hundreds of mortars, 14 helicopters... what an absolute waste.

We aren't talking about our specific military—or even our own schools—but rather the state of education as a whole...

Quincy:

We’re all forced to deal with banks to some degree—it's just the way the system is built—but crypto emerged specifically because our banking infrastructure is fundamentally flawed. It offers a way to handle direct transactions without needing a middleman... or someone else's permission.

Cryptocurrencies aren't banks. It’s just coercion all the way down—pure and simple. Using coercion as an argument against traditional schooling isn't an indictment of the banking system; it’s actually a defense of it. You can't spin it that way... it just doesn't work.

Quincy:

Our legal system is such a disaster—frankly, we'd probably be better off without it...

Check the thread under: military.

Quincy:

Did the most famous education theorist in Rome have to deal with endless inspections, rigid regulations, and disgruntled parents? Did he have to stick to a strictly defined curriculum and teach in one specific way—or did he actually have the freedom to explore topics alongside his students? Did he possess the authority to remove a student who sabotages the class or bullies others? And did he have the right to administer corporal punishment? I should remind you that in this country, homeschooling isn't even a recognized concept... you're forced to hand your child over to "expert" strangers just so they can "educate" them.

He followed a set curriculum and a specific methodology—essentially he was just a cog in the machine. I never once heard him mention or even hint at corporal punishment during his lectures. Some professors simply carry an inherent authority... making sweeping generalizations isn't much of an argument. So, what's your actual stance? Are you advocating for physical punishment, or are you pushing to abolish schools entirely? The absence of physical discipline isn't a reason to dismantle the education system. Violence and physical punishment have no place in a classroom. And the lack of homeschooling options isn't a valid argument for getting rid of schools, either...