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Smoothing out bumps or making it "easy" and worrying about fragile stuff is totally unrelated to acting intelligent. In early grades, I had amazing teachers. P

Smoothing out bumps or making it "easy" and worrying about fragile stuff is totally unrelated to acting intelligent. In early grades, I had amazing teachers. Plus they had "enrichment" where they pulled us out of less-useful classes, gave us a lab and a dedicated teacher who just said "hey, what are you interested in?" I excelled there. After moving a few times, I unofficially dropped out of school in 7th grade (12 years old), after grilling my teacher and realizing she didn't really have a clue. Other teachers were worse.[1] I attended for a few more years (partially coerced by illegal police force[1]), then at 15 dropped out for good by leaving the country. Things turned out OK for me. But I lost a LOT by not getting a real education, not having a chance at college. Just the lack of maths alone takes a lot of effort to rectify. Yes, it's still my fault, but the system shouldn't be encouraging 12-15 year olds to make such mistakes. Kids will have enough bumps with bullying and school life in general. Adding idiocy bumps that make a mockery of education and intelligence just make kids cynical and tune out. (It also makes such graduates more OK with the idea of corruption, stupid bureaucracy, mediocrity, etc. - a shrug and a "that's how things work". Such things should be vigorously fought, not beaten into children.) 1: One "science" teacher: "Carbon-14 dating is a lie told by scientists that hate god." 2: Somehow there was enough of a "problem" to haul me in front of a judge who pre-emptively revoked my drivers licenses for 3 years. I told him I'd just get a pilot's license instead and enrolled in flight school the next month. I also found it hilarious how people in court used the term "infinite wisdom" when referring to the judge. Illegal part was that I am not a U.S. person so they didn't have jurisdiction for enforcing mandatory schooling any more than they'd have on any other B-2 visa'd tourist.

crucini 12y ago
> Smoothing out bumps or making it "easy" and worrying about fragile stuff is totally unrelated to acting intelligent. I stared at this sentence for a while and didn't quite decode it. Sounds like you've had your share of bumps. I don't know how old you are, but you may eventually decide you wouldn't change a thing. But quite a few kids raised in good environments seem to have missed our on bullies (real, not cyber), and stupid, cruel authoritarian teachers. This results in a naive and fragile person who is not equipped for the real world. Have you read The Diamond Age? Neal Stephenson makes a similar point when the headmistress (really YT from Snow Crash) answers a complaint about a teacher.
- MichaelGG 12y ago
  Sorry, poorly written. I'm just making the point that there's a far cry from producing "fragile" people/overprotecting versus creating and defending a stupid system. In the former case, it can be good to let kids have to get over some problems or deal with unfairness. In the latter, encouraging or defending stupidity on the part of teachers or the school system only encourages cynicism or acceptance of such brokenness. School systems should try to encourage the ideals, teach people to stand up to bad things, not accept mediocrity, etc. I'm 33 and have kids of my own, if that's relevant. I liked Snow Crash but don't remember those specifics.

crucini 12y ago

> Smoothing out bumps or making it "easy" and worrying about fragile stuff is totally unrelated to acting intelligent. I stared at this sentence for a while and didn't quite decode it. Sounds like you've had your share of bumps. I don't know how old you are, but you may eventually decide you wouldn't change a thing. But quite a few kids raised in good environments seem to have missed our on bullies (real, not cyber), and stupid, cruel authoritarian teachers. This results in a naive and fragile person who is not equipped for the real world. Have you read The Diamond Age? Neal Stephenson makes a similar point when the headmistress (really YT from Snow Crash) answers a complaint about a teacher.

MichaelGG 12y ago
Sorry, poorly written. I'm just making the point that there's a far cry from producing "fragile" people/overprotecting versus creating and defending a stupid system. In the former case, it can be good to let kids have to get over some problems or deal with unfairness. In the latter, encouraging or defending stupidity on the part of teachers or the school system only encourages cynicism or acceptance of such brokenness. School systems should try to encourage the ideals, teach people to stand up to bad things, not accept mediocrity, etc. I'm 33 and have kids of my own, if that's relevant. I liked Snow Crash but don't remember those specifics.