Very strange to read this from my German perspective. School is compulsory here, and it has its historical roots in a the Prussian education system which didn't

Very strange to read this from my German perspective. School is compulsory here, and it has its historical roots in a the Prussian education system which didn't just convey knowledge but socialized kids and young adults, essentially making them citizens. And that's still I think the most important function of a proper education system. Not only do you acquire basic knowledge, but you learn how to function within an institution, work within groups, face adverse situations, follow instructions, timelines, interact with authority, and so on, you learn the basics of democracy even, how to function within a small political community of sorts. The majority of people will continue to go on and benefit from this. Whether they work at a large corporation, administration, the military, the legal sector, a medical profession, academia. Most careers are highly structured. People saying that their school experience is nothing like 'real life' in my experience work in highly idiosyncratic professions that only employ a minority of individuals. And as a side note, my parents couldn't teach me anything past 8th grade. the entire notion of leaving the school system is essentially preserved for people whose parents are affluent or fairly educated.