“This is the paradox of elite education: it cultivates capable, curious minds to wield power but not necessarily to question it” and it makes everyone think the same things!! It’s like the knowledge itself doesn’t matter that much it’s more of an in-group signal that says “I went to a good school”
100%. Is education meant to be transformative or transactional? In the US, where most top schools are private, it's hard to justify "the life of the mind" when sticker price is $250k, inching towards 350k all-in. Canadians (and rest of world) are doing it right!
I think we’re leaving that era of “school is a rite of passage that transforms youth into adults” because it’s no longer as “exclusive” as it used to be (ie. college is a default step after high school) and the actual learning part - u can learn anything u want online
“This is the paradox of elite education: it cultivates capable, curious minds to wield power but not necessarily to question it” and it makes everyone think the same things!! It’s like the knowledge itself doesn’t matter that much it’s more of an in-group signal that says “I went to a good school”
+ thanks for reading!! Your book is my muse 🪄
Aww thank you 💖
100%. Is education meant to be transformative or transactional? In the US, where most top schools are private, it's hard to justify "the life of the mind" when sticker price is $250k, inching towards 350k all-in. Canadians (and rest of world) are doing it right!
I think we’re leaving that era of “school is a rite of passage that transforms youth into adults” because it’s no longer as “exclusive” as it used to be (ie. college is a default step after high school) and the actual learning part - u can learn anything u want online
So learning is free and schooling is expensive...
I have a gnawing suspicion that the status symbol (in-group signal) is outwardly more valuable, because the learning is invisible 😭
Great, great points. Sometimes the norm is the easiest choice too. Carving our own path is scary, and we might very well fail!