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> as someone who was a nerd in the '70s, before it was cool > What can be better than what we do now? HN threads on any education topic are always littered wi

> as someone who was a nerd in the '70s, before it was cool > What can be better than what we do now? HN threads on any education topic are always littered with oversimplified causes and "silver bullet" solutions. My guess is that it's mostly from the "nerds are cool" generation. Being on the cusp of the two generations, I'm not so willing to throw out the 100+ years of evolution in institutionalized education. One thing we can do better now? Bring back and/or increase focus on civics, history, and social studies. This for obvious reasons, like the right-wing/populist political debacle, but also as a way to develop an inherent ambition as a result of a better understanding of our society and how it can be changed.

imtringued 6y ago
>One thing we can do better now? Bring back and/or increase focus on civics, history, and social studies. This for obvious reasons, like the right-wing/populist political debacle, but also as a way to develop an inherent ambition as a result of a better understanding of our society and how it can be changed. Extremism and populism aren't caused by children. In fact it's the opposite. It's the children that are fighting for rational causes. Why do we have "a" Greta Thunberg? Because adults failed.
- Chris2048 6y ago
  > Why do we have "a" Greta Thunberg? because certain politicians and activists are willing to exploit children to promote their cause?
- triceratops 6y ago
  Why did the adults fail? Arguably because they weren't taught any better when they were children themselves.
Chris2048 6y ago
Civics I get, but how the hell will history help?
- BrianOnHN 6y ago
  Demonstrate importance of the former.
  - Chris2048 6y ago
    But you can still teach historical examples in the context of civics without a full-blown history class, which arguably has a much wider scope (and commitment to providing fuller context), and therefore is a greater undertaking.

imtringued 6y ago

>One thing we can do better now? Bring back and/or increase focus on civics, history, and social studies. This for obvious reasons, like the right-wing/populist political debacle, but also as a way to develop an inherent ambition as a result of a better understanding of our society and how it can be changed. Extremism and populism aren't caused by children. In fact it's the opposite. It's the children that are fighting for rational causes. Why do we have "a" Greta Thunberg? Because adults failed.

Chris2048 6y ago
> Why do we have "a" Greta Thunberg? because certain politicians and activists are willing to exploit children to promote their cause?
triceratops 6y ago
Why did the adults fail? Arguably because they weren't taught any better when they were children themselves.

Chris2048 6y ago

Civics I get, but how the hell will history help?

BrianOnHN 6y ago
Demonstrate importance of the former.
- Chris2048 6y ago
  But you can still teach historical examples in the context of civics without a full-blown history class, which arguably has a much wider scope (and commitment to providing fuller context), and therefore is a greater undertaking.