School

Over at Last Track, DeAnna asks the question "How the hell did we ever make it through public school?" I wish more people who made it through the process of schooling would ask this question.

I really hate the public school system. There are many reason why I do, but the primary reason is because it teaches us how not to think. It teaches us how to quit asking questions that come from a place of curosity and wonder. I've heard Derrick Jensen say that his twenties really sucked because he was shaking off the effects of his schooling, his thirties were all right because he was beginning to learn how to think for himself, and so far his forties have been better then his thirties, it just keeps getting better for him. I think this has been my experience so far,too.

If you would have asked me what I thought about school in my early twenties, I would've told you it is an experience that everyone must have. You get to: socialize with friends, date many different women, play sports, be exposed to many educational and career oppurtunities and most importantly you don't have to join the mundane and mind-numbing reality of the real world of work. If fact, my grandfather (He dropped out at 14) use to just criticize the hell out of our schools and it would really piss me off. I got pissed, partly because I felt he was implying the same things about me. Looking back, I really didn't know much. I still don't, but atleast I'm asking questions and open to learning.

Well, there is a few words about school. I feel better now. I have much more to say about the process of schooling, but not enough time to say it right now.

Note to myself. I posted a little bit about the effects of schooling on this thread over at IshCon. There were some really good experiences that were shared there. I really liked the story that Urban Scout told. He's done a lot of good work.

School Education Derrick Jensen Unschooling