4 ms·
Yes, I'm french. The Economist article is right. I even remember having been taught, in biology classes in middle-school (something like 10 years ago), that AI
by corentin 19y ago
Yes, I'm french. The Economist article is right.
I even remember having been taught, in biology classes in middle-school (something like 10 years ago), that AIDS was designed by the Pentagon or some other US agency to kill people in the third world (supposedly, for some imperialist or racist purpose). In history classes, I've been taught that the US basically went to WWII just to "steal" the world's gold reserves. It were exceptions, though; most teachers are decent. Still, I expect today's teachers to tell kids that GMOs are a very bad and dangerous thing and that organic food is the way of the future.
It's very sad because, despite this lack of rational thinking, we still have some very good scientists in France. But they're completely ignored by the population. When Claude Allegre, an eminent geologist and political figure, started to say controversial stuff about global warming, instead of thinking "maybe we should listen to one of our best scientists" the reaction was more like "oh, buzz of you and your science!"
- ovi256 19y ago>I even remember having been taught, in biology classes in middle-school (something like 10 years ago), that AIDS was designed by the Pentagon or some other US agency to kill people in the third world (supposedly, for some imperialist or racist purpose). In history classes, I've been taught that the US basically went to WWII just to "steal" the world's gold reserves. Oh please, get a grip on yourself. Can you half seriously suggest this was official curriculum? I can see some abysmal maverick teacher speaking about this, but he wouldn't last long.
- corentin 19y agoOf course it wasn't part of the official curriculum. But you're wrong about the "wouldn't last long part"; you simply can't fire a teacher in France.
- pc 19y agoThough several anecdotes aren't data, I hear similar stories (of Marxist economics being espoused at school) every time I spend time in France.