4 ms·

Oh can we _not_ discuss fairly complex issues in comic strip form? I've yet to see one that doesn't automatically qualify for r/bad{history,economics,philosophy

Oh can we _not_ discuss fairly complex issues in comic strip form? I've yet to see one that doesn't automatically qualify for r/bad{history,economics,philosophy,etc} (I'm looking at you, The Oatmeal)

vixin 12y ago
While HN is probably not the place for this discussion but the thesis could not be clearer. You're merely objecting to the color scheme. Average educational standards in the US are pitiful but I think it's too late. The Chinese understand this very well.
- lclarkmichalek 12y ago
  Well when the colour scheme dictates primary colours, and the painting is of something requiring the full spectrum, then it's valid to complain about the colour scheme. Or to be less subtle, when was the last time you saw a comic strip express a nuanced view?
  - hrkristian 12y ago
    It's nearly impossible to be nuanced in the comic strip medium, but that does not mean it's useless for serious commentary. The one in question is right this moment spurring serious discussion (here on HN, in this thread,) that's no doubt its intended purpose. Which in your analogy makes it not a dictated scheme, but a scetched canvas; ready to be painted.
ColinWright 12y ago
By all means, let's have 45 submissions about Apple bidding for Beats, and let's have "The future of Unreal Tournament begins today" at number 1 for 12 hours, getting over 700 up-votes and nearly 140 comments, but let's not discuss the present situation with regards education. I get it now - HN is not a place to have an intelligent discussion about things that affect the future, it really is a place for people to discuss technology that really matters.
- lclarkmichalek 12y ago
  Oh, I'm fine with the discussion. But please, there is better starting point than this shit. "your rich own most of your politicians", "a nation hurtling towards decline" are hardly things that can be stated without justification, and I doubt even Fox News would put them in the "fair and balanced" column. Hell, where was the panel comparing the quality of American and Scandinavian universities: of the top 10 universities, as ranked by QS, 6 are American, a not insignificant fact. And I wouldn't mention it had the author not picked the region out for special treatment, but the top university in a Scandinavian country is ranked 45 on that list. The comic also assumes that the fact that schools in the US are not free automatically leads to the absence of "an educated population [which] equals a strong, steady state ready for the future", which I don't think can be taken to be true without evidence. Ha, most of the things he states can't be taken to be true without evidence, which is so conveniently missing. Regardless, this comic is shit. So sure, we can talk about this stuff. But can we have a source not so blatantly targeted at the lowest denominator of the left next time, please?
  - ColinWright 12y ago
    I seriously wish you'd given a useful, content-full and considered response like this in the first instance, rather than just dismissing it. Then there could have been a discussion that dissected the source, rather than ignoring it. We could then have had a resource at which to point people who nod sagely and re-tweet thoughtlessly. Too late, now.
- tokenadult 12y ago
  Colin: here's a better source for education policy discussions, informed by international practice. http://educationnext.org/ http://educationnext.org/ I wish that more of the articles from this source, which are nuanced and based on sound research, would reach the front page of HN and gain thoughtful discussion. You can help make that happen.

Oh can we _not_ discuss fairly complex issues in comic strip form? I've yet to see one that doesn't automatically qualify for r/bad{history,economics,philosophy,etc} (I'm looking at you, The Oatmeal)

vixin 12y ago

While HN is probably not the place for this discussion but the thesis could not be clearer. You're merely objecting to the color scheme. Average educational standards in the US are pitiful but I think it's too late. The Chinese understand this very well.

lclarkmichalek 12y ago
Well when the colour scheme dictates primary colours, and the painting is of something requiring the full spectrum, then it's valid to complain about the colour scheme. Or to be less subtle, when was the last time you saw a comic strip express a nuanced view?
- hrkristian 12y ago
  It's nearly impossible to be nuanced in the comic strip medium, but that does not mean it's useless for serious commentary. The one in question is right this moment spurring serious discussion (here on HN, in this thread,) that's no doubt its intended purpose. Which in your analogy makes it not a dictated scheme, but a scetched canvas; ready to be painted.

ColinWright 12y ago

By all means, let's have 45 submissions about Apple bidding for Beats, and let's have "The future of Unreal Tournament begins today" at number 1 for 12 hours, getting over 700 up-votes and nearly 140 comments, but let's not discuss the present situation with regards education. I get it now - HN is not a place to have an intelligent discussion about things that affect the future, it really is a place for people to discuss technology that really matters.

lclarkmichalek 12y ago
Oh, I'm fine with the discussion. But please, there is better starting point than this shit. "your rich own most of your politicians", "a nation hurtling towards decline" are hardly things that can be stated without justification, and I doubt even Fox News would put them in the "fair and balanced" column. Hell, where was the panel comparing the quality of American and Scandinavian universities: of the top 10 universities, as ranked by QS, 6 are American, a not insignificant fact. And I wouldn't mention it had the author not picked the region out for special treatment, but the top university in a Scandinavian country is ranked 45 on that list. The comic also assumes that the fact that schools in the US are not free automatically leads to the absence of "an educated population [which] equals a strong, steady state ready for the future", which I don't think can be taken to be true without evidence. Ha, most of the things he states can't be taken to be true without evidence, which is so conveniently missing. Regardless, this comic is shit. So sure, we can talk about this stuff. But can we have a source not so blatantly targeted at the lowest denominator of the left next time, please?
- ColinWright 12y ago
  I seriously wish you'd given a useful, content-full and considered response like this in the first instance, rather than just dismissing it. Then there could have been a discussion that dissected the source, rather than ignoring it. We could then have had a resource at which to point people who nod sagely and re-tweet thoughtlessly. Too late, now.
tokenadult 12y ago
Colin: here's a better source for education policy discussions, informed by international practice. http://educationnext.org/ http://educationnext.org/ I wish that more of the articles from this source, which are nuanced and based on sound research, would reach the front page of HN and gain thoughtful discussion. You can help make that happen.