In public education there’s an idea that there are certain things everyone is supposed to know in Kindergarten. Then there’s some other things all the kids are supposed to learn in first grade and some more things in 2nd grade and so on.
Then when you finally graduate from high school, you know all the stuff you’re “supposed to know.”
How’s that plan been working for you, anyway?
What capability does a high school kid possess on the day he crosses the stage with his diploma at his graduation ceremony?
Generally, he possesses the ability to get a $7 per hour job at Wal-Mart or TGI Friday’s.
Wow. What a milestone that is, after 13 years of academic achievement. Really inspires you to do what the principal was droning about at the graduation ceremony – strive to be a student for the rest of your life.
No wonder most people spend the next 40 years of their colorless existence watching re-runs of 3rd Rock from the Sun.
OK, so here’s the problem with the “this is the list of things everybody should know” theory:
It turns living, breathing, unique human beings into commoditized, dehumanized hunks of flesh. 140 pounds of human capital. Where your highest aspiration is to get a few more right answers on the test than everyone else in the class. Where everyone knows how to do all the same things and compete with 100 other people for the same dumb job.
If the very thought of that makes you want to run out of the room screaming, good. It’s a sign the beast hasn’t gouged every last ounce of self-respect out of your soul.
Rage against the machine.
When you watched Morpheus offer Neo the red pill and the blue pill and Neo took the red pill, you said to yourself, he’s right baby, you better believe he’s right. I know, cuz I took the red pill myself, and yessiree Bob, the rabbit hole goes deep….
Imagine, incubating your children in a dark cavernous mindfarm where their curiosity and ambition are snuffed out for the purpose of nourishing some bulbous impersonal machine.
Most people, after 13 to 17 years in the educational meat grinder, are firmly convinced that 5% of their class is an elite group that’s superior to everyone else, and the rest of us are doomed to fight over the scraps. Life on the wrong side of the 80/20 tracks. That’s Just The Way It Is, mourns the Bruce Hornsby song.
I don’t look at it that way. It’s a lie.
This is how it really is:
If you apply ANY test to ANY group of people, it’s gonna shake down to 80/20. Doesn’t matter if it’s history or math or Pokemon or soccer or belly dancing or model trains, 20% of the people have 80% of the capability.
But the top girl in math is rarely the top girl in belly dancing and the top soccer player is rarely the #1 guy in Pokemon.
When people are empowered to pursue their own uniqueness, almost all of them are a genius at something.
So the most important thing your kid can know is: He has the potential to be a genius at something. He needs to believe he’s got something special inside.
Here’s what I believe:
There are 6 billion people in the world and every single one is a diamond in some stage of being polished. Life is either going to polish you up or grind you down. And the difference between the two lies in how much hope you have, how much faith you have in the fact that you do carry something special on the inside, that’s waiting to get out. Many give up, not knowing they were only 10 minutes from triumph.
Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to discover your uniqueness.
The other day we got an email from a guy who’d read a recent Renaissance Club members newsletter which was describing how mediocre most businesses and employees are.
He said, “I’m in the bottom 60% of my industry and in all honesty, I think 40% of the vendors in my industry do better work than me and provide a better service than me. So why should I market myself? All I’ll be doing is spreading around more mediocrity.”
He went on to say he didn’t think he could be good at anything.
How sad. The antidote to mediocrity is inspiration. If he can’t do that business with excellence, surely there is SOME business he can do with excellence. Yes, he should find something he CAN do well. There is always something. Who taught him that he’s got no choice but to be a member of the bottom 60%? He didn’t get that from me, that’s for sure.
One more thing:
There’s a set of elitist snobs who would like us to believe the world is overpopulated. There’s not enough water, not enough food, not enough air, not enough land. All those useless homo sapiens, taking up too much space in the biosphere.
Of course I don’t see any of those elitist snobs volunteering to move themselves out of the way.
There’s an entire media machine that only tells you the bad news, neglects to tell you the good news, and fills your head with traumas that have no relevance to your life what-so-ever.
They do that because they like to manipulate people, and fearful, hopeless droids are a lot easier to manipulate than leaders who know where they’re going.
Here’s what I believe:
I believe there’s always enough water, always enough food, always enough air, always enough land. The real resource is ingenuity and ingenuity comes from people. Have you ever considered… the world might actually be ‘overcrowded’ because there’s not enough people?
Not enough geniuses. Not enough problem solvers. Not enough innovators and inventors. Not enough coal being polished into diamond.
PREDICTION: By the time the world has 10 billion people, a handful of geniuses will have been born by then who in turn will have figured out how to feed 12 billion people. There’ll be enough food left over for 2 billion.
Time to go make some more geniuses. Hey mom and dad, why doncha pull yourselves away from your computer for a few minutes and get busy? You might enjoy the break from the usual routine.
OK, so anyway, here you are running your online business. Doing whatever it is that you do.
And you wonder, what is THE formula? What is THE secret?
There is no “THE” formula. There is no “THE” secret.
There is only YOUR formula, YOUR secret. YOUR Unique Selling Proposition. Which is your singular collection of talents and passions and ways to contribute to our burgeoninng planet of under-utilized geniuses.
For some people reading this blog post, I have a major role to play. For some people, the skills I teach are the exact skills you need to learn and the best thing you could do is buy every product and join coaching program I’ve got.
If everything you’ve bought from me so far has helped you, maybe you’re one of those people.
For others, I’m just one voice along the way who sent them forward with a little encouragement and inspiration. And a little more mojo to go find THEIR right path to success.
If whatever you’ve bought from me so far has been off the mark, maybe I’m not the right guy for you. I send you on to greener pastures with a blessing.
Whichever person you are, I want you to remember every single day of your life that you’ve got skills, inclinations, aspirations, sparks of genius inside. Only YOU can do the things that YOU are destined to do.
Never let some elitist snob keep you from doing ’em.
Perry Marshall
P.S.: I wrote a very popular article called “Escaping The Institutional Straitjacket.” If you’re an elitist snob, it will offend you. If you’re a scrapping entrepreneur like me, you just might think it’s a kick.
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About the Author
Perry Marshall has launched two revolutions in sales and marketing. In Pay-Per-Click advertising, he pioneered best practices and wrote the world's best selling book on Google advertising. And he's driven the 80/20 Principle deeper than any other author, creating a new movement in business.
He is referenced across the Internet and by Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, INC and Forbes Magazine.
144 Comments on “The gigantic horrible lie about education”
This article is exactly what I was discussing with some friends of mine just two hours before I read it. I am an artist, an innovator and an original thinker and all my life I have been knocked by those members of our society that conform to the norm in corporate America. In today’s cluttered and brutally competitive business environments there are more and more people attacking those of us who are different and don’t always follow the status quo. The best way out of most of our problems and challenging situations today (and there are more than enough to go around) is to think outside the boxes that we have so neatly and methodically built over the last 20 years. I am encouraged by your words because I am one who follows the path that you speak of. Even in the Bible, God always uses the ones who have the least abilities according to man’s opinion. I am old enough and wise enough now that my spirit and inner-being has gained the strength to where no man can destroy my attitude or heart. My strength and direction comes from God the Creator. I can do all things through God who strengthens me. I have no wisdom or power on my own without Him. Thank you for reminding me of these things and the encouragement your words give to others.
Fantastic post Perry!
It is SO sad to see people who have been turned off of learning by the mind-numbing pablum they serve in the school systems – and by the many teachers and other adults who tell them what they can’t do.
I feel blessed that my own kids found what they wanted to do – and that I have too. But of course, it didn’t come from school. It came from reading and talking to each other and following our curiosity wherever it led us. And it came from believing in ourselves and never letting ANYONE make us believe we couldn’t succeed.
I’m tweeting this one, and sending it to stumble upon too… yours is a message that EVERYONE who isn’t thrilled about their lives needs to hear!
Thanks,
Marte
Perry, Couple years ago I wrote about the “dumbing down” of our youth in the public school sector. Boy, did I get an ear full from the “left” leaning, union czars and some in the teaching community. After reading your article on the “Gigantic Horrible Lie in Education” I feel like bringing back my article. But I won’t, because your article has so many more truths that I will send it out as is to my social media accounts. Great article, keep up the good work.
Hal
Thanks, Perry. Not only was that a great article, but it is the first time EVER that the comments were ALL interesting and thought provoking. Talk about “knowing a tree by its fruit…”
Dr. George
Hey Perry,
You’ve sure found your ‘genius’ It’s like you are speaking directly to my brain. Every time I read something from you along the ‘rage against the machine’ type line, it peels another layer of cr*p off my brain. THANK YOU!
Once I turn my attention to adwords, you will be the go-to guy for me. Again, thank you :o)
Fantastic article Perry! May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and your family.
It took me many years to realize this, but the world is filled with infinite wealth. In that sense, I agree with you. On the other hand, it is not filled with infinite resources at any given time. Just because in theory resources can be better used, it does not follow that reckless abandon will save the human race.
Yes, we need more geniuses. Yes, we need more people who know how to think for themselves. Yes, we need entrepreneurial spirit to save us. That is not accomplished through ignoring your resources anymore than throwing money at random keywords finds you a winning campaign before you go bust.
You have to work with what you’ve got, and operate with a little sobriety.
That said, you and Glen Livingston have fished me out of business hell. Thank you.
Spot on, Perry. I’m right there with you. My son is in Montessori school.
Now, how do I go about finding my inspiration, my passion? :-)
Chuck
Love this article Perry. We are in a battle literally for our lives against those that would disagree with the points you are making here.
Example:
We have the technology and tools RIGHT NOW to put all 6 BILLION people on our planet comfortably in the stat of Texas and sustain ourselves easily.
Proof:
http://www.overpopulationisamyth.com/
…and yet there are those that think mass sterilization is a GOOD idea!?
Resources are NOT limited (I’m writing a book about this titled “Earth’s unlimited resources”). Stated differently, there is no such thing as a “limited resource” UNLESS you have a poverty mentality.
Each life is an amazing gift with endless potential – thanks for reminding us all.
We are all programmed from birth and through school into adult life, despite that programme a few discovered the truth. Those few are the ones who realised the programme was faulty and with a few code modifications discovered a life rich with everything they wanted. What code are you going to change today?
Great Post!
The 80/20 Rule is a fact!
The 20% Work; Work Smart; Study; are always- always Learning and then they get to Play harder and achieve more than the 80%!
The 80% are always finding excuses’ why they are not in the 80% (not that 3rd Rock from the Sun isn’t important) and that generally leads to negativity!
Like minded people generally hang out and listen to people who think and feel like them!
Perry you Blew It and told everyone the Secret! That there is NO Secret!
Hey maybe there is a Reason we are all hanging out here…….
Yes Perry if all the elitist snobs who believe we are overpopulated offered to “move themselves out of the way” then I guess the problem would be solved wouldn’t it?
We have enough resources, it is just those planning for the masses forget to include the masses who can’t include themselves.
When my success is reached later this year, I will have a large amount of resources available to share.
I am a genius as I have the uniqueness that makes me me. Thanks for reminding me.
Your article has inspired me for greater things this day and by HIS strength I go forward to do these things now.
Kind regards,
Greg
I loved 3rd Rock from the Sun…but what would you expect from a scifi author?
Fortunately the elementary school I went to sent me to a class for gifted kids instead of trying to hold me back. (Although I got bored and dropped it after two years.)
My high school teachers insisted that ‘learning to learn’ was the priority. Then they informed us that we would be left out because we were between the ‘best jobs and houses’ and the computer revolution the next generation would be trained for. Most of us dug in, learned the technology as it came out and ended up more often on our feet than our faces.
As a manager I saw a lot of young people who hated using the computer as a work tool, compared to my generation who perceive it as a labor saving device. Perspective seems to be the dividing line between the 80 percent of workability and the 20 percent of indifference.
Wooohoooo, the “red pill” indeed! …from all your geeky, straight-up-and-down, “Just think the Hawking of AdWords” guru-talk, one would ne’er of guessed at the ferocious anti-establishment hippie lurking within…v entertaining!
Hey, so I reckon I might be like, top 5% BlackHat spammer genius…after years of rejection from this ‘forum’ and that ‘forum’, your post has given me that little push, that inspiration I need to just say ‘sod them, sod them all, dammit! Screw the institutionalised elites – screw their over-rated notions of rules, “right” learning and “wrong” learning and haughty-taughty, bolshe notions of “legitimacy” …BlackHat spamming is my forte, that’s my thing, and I ain’t gonna let anyone hold me back no more (certainly not those flat-earther anti-population growth “climate change” types!) – thankyou Perry, I’m finally home!
Dude – You have a way with words… that was a nice piece of work…
Bingo… score one for free thinkers everywhere. Great post Perry!
Perry,
I have a good friend who takes the kids who come to her program with “this is the last stop, my friend” and you know what? She has a huge success rate with them, because she helps them find their uniqueness and helps them figure out how to use it to THRIVE in today’s world.
Most of the time when I read your articles, I can actually hear you speak the words – that and the real advice and support you offer keep me coming back for more…. THANKS!
Oh gawd Perry you make me think like no other. Your post makes me want to go outside and shout “I’ve been inspired”! My mouse and finger are getting a-lot closer to your order buttons.
Paul
Preach on Brother! I’m glad that you have a more personal post every once in a while.
Don’t you wish they ask different questions in school? What kind of man/ woman do you want to become? How do you want to contribute to your city, country? What kind of lifestyle do you want to live? NOT what are you good at? What would you like to do? At 15-16yrs old, not the things that are important.
It’s amazing the things you learn failing and failing in business. Each lesson takes some time and money away. In school they are very intolerant of mistakes and focus on skills. What are the results? then you get grownups who are afraid to take risks, who are ‘perfectionists’ & who are focused on the wrong things.
You are right on the button AGAIN Perry. Nope Im not grovelling I really believe it. Isnt it sad that this thing we still call school, for most of our kids, just doesnt do them justice. Infact as you imply, it often crushes them. But as a father with 2 kids in the system, and a mortgage to pay, there arent that many other solutions!
We should make a distinction with our current “education” (laughs) system.
Lets call it
“Schooling”
Education, is basically what you just said. Using whatever the maker gave you…. to the best use possible. In Business or otherwise.
Heh, I can foresee an article called
“Schooling Vs Education”
All schools end up doing is indoctrinate you to become unthinking (very debilitating) mass of worker bees.
Then again, the modern American education system came from Prussia. Who’s sole purpose was to train unquestioning workers. Those students who were at the top of the list, or who had special abilities were sent to a place called…
“Real University” – where they spent 2 years or so unlearning all the stuff…and being shown how to use their head…
Our capacity to think will solve our problems. In personal life, business and on the world stage. Failure to use education (see thinking) will be the end of us in time.
Good post Perry.
Excellent stuff, Perry, as many others have said. The only problem is blaming the big, nebulous entity called “education” and acting as though the brilliant insight of home schooling (or skooling)is the answer as an alternative. (It isn’t, any more than home medicine or home dentistry is the answer.)
The real answer is personal responsibility, and not EXPECTING it from a public system that must “educate” so many millions of unique individuals. That system is ONLY a starting point, and can only attempt to do THAT. Most teachers – contrary to some narrow-minded public opinion – would love nothing better than to go with individual strengths and turn out geniuses of many different types. But with standardized testing and the demands of parents whose only “knowledge” is learned from radio talk shows, that can’t happen. Yes, chaos would ensue, and our society is not geared to support that.
We need to inspire our kids to go beyond, WHATEVER that means. Sorry, “general knowledge” is neither the culprit nor the problem to be overcome. It is the foundation to be built upon. That’s our job. And our responsibility OUGHT to be to make sure those parents who could only get those $7/hour Walmart jobs are able to do it for their kids, as well – otherwise you’re just creating another, but different, club of elitists you feel better about because you’re on the inside this time.
This is why you are in a different league than other marketers, Perry. Rousing post.
As a kid, I jumped through hoops to get my father’s approval. I went to a better college than he said I could get into (even though I would have rather just been a musician). When he refused to help me, like he had my brother, I paid for it myself. I wanted to show him that I could succeed on my own.
The problem was, he was too fond of his opinions to ever change them.
So, your post is a good one for parents. Many kids just need someone older to say “Hey, you’re really good at that – don’t stop.” That alone could give many people the head start they need, and save them from years of floundering around at jobs that don’t suit them.
Regarding population, there’s something profoundly sad about a declining population – though that is bound to occur naturally at certain intervals. When I first came to Japan two decades ago, the place was bubbling with enthusiasm for the now…and the future. Now, with the population in precipitous decline, you can sense the decay in the areas hardest hit. Houses sitting empty, shops closed up or turned into parking lots that are no longer so desperately needed. Immense resources and and unpayable debts being used to make the lives of the oldest people more comfortable – such as beautiful modern senior citizen centers and fully equipped hospitals in villages that will be ghost towns in 20 years.
The future belongs to the youth. If there are no youth, there is no future. Simple as that, really.
I have given up arguing with people who talk about the need for population control (often people who have more than 2 kids themselves). Like also are too fond of their opinions to change them.
From one home educator to another, bravo!
I’m convinced that the reason our sons did excel when they hit an educational institution is BECAUSE they had the time in childhood to play deeply & progressively in their natural areas of excellence.
By the way, ‘teaching’ can knock that genius right out of them. It was only after I stopped trying to ‘teach’ my oldest son to write that he took off as a writer.
The stages of learning are the same at any age: grammar (learn the structure and basics, memorization), dialectic (digest, understand inter-relationships, play with what-if scenarios), and rhetoric (application, production). Or Biblically stated it’s knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Same structure for how we learn as adults.
Perry,
It’s very easy to talk about how screwed up the traditional education system is, I talk about it all the time.
The main problem facing entrepreneurs and system rejects like myself is realizing that although you have a passion/genius, it doesn’t always translate into a well paying career.
For most of us we will do what makes money and have our passion/genius as a hobby.
Hehe, Perry, you’re inspiring, funny, and clever, as always. Keep up the good work ;)
Hey Perry, amazingly encouraging article. You hit the nail on the head again. I love this article! So inspiring!
Bravo, Perry!
I was one of the “smart kids” in school. Top scores on tests… Top grades… Top praise from teachers…
Then I got into the business world and you know how much good those top grades did me? Nada. Zip. Zilch.
Believe it or not, they actually put me at a disadvantage! I had learned that the way you get ahead is to do my assignments just as told, and get the reward of good grades. I had learned that the way you get ahead is to absorb what somebody else said, and spit it back when asked. I learned that the secret to success lay outside myself, in carefully following what somebody else told me.
I can’t tell you how much money I spent on IM products looking to find the “right answer” in what anyone and everyone in the IM business told me to do. It resulted only in me trying to spin dozens of plates when I should have been concentrating on finding just one where my passion was.
Our education system is designed to reward those who do the least to develop real-life business skills. It rewards those who look for the answers in external sources prescribed to them by curriculum boards in some bureaucracy.
Furthermore, it treats those who want to experiment and discover on their own as defective human beings. If prescribing curriculum doesn’t get through to hyperactive kids, they prescribe medication to squelch their curiosity until they sit passively enough to give the appearance of absorbing the prescribed curriculum.
No wonder so many IM teachers use as a selling point for their products phrases like, “Hey, I was diagnosed as ADHD in grade school. If I can succeed in business using the formula I developed, anyone can.”
The desire to act instead of ponder is actually a key to business success. Those who act might fail a few times, but eventually they’ll hit on something they can build on.
Meanwhile, the “smart kids” are busy trying to learn all the theory so they’ll be ready for someone to hand them a test paper for them to ace.
Only thing is, nobody ever comes around with that test paper. The only test you ever get in the business world comes when you act and put something out there.
You choose the time for your final exam. You lay out your answers without leaning on the crutch of somebody else’s question. Then you let your market grade them for you.
And you find that that “final exam” is not final after all. Your exam is ongoing. When your answer isn’t good enough, you use the feedback from your “graders” to come up with better answers.
You’re absolutely right, Perry. Our educational system is designed to turn out employees, and discourage entrepreneurs.
Yes you are right on about the “education system
Concerning your example of population numbers you have been programed by the same system you deride.
A handful of geniuses are not going to compensate for our ability and stupidity to destroy our natural resources.
Hi Perry,
I love the way you put so much thought into your articles… however…. I think you’ve missed a point about ‘education’.
It’s not about getting an immediate high paying job out of high school. That’s short term thinking believed by Gen Y that they should be rewarded now! (For what?) There are valuable lessons to be learned working your way up in a job/career and advancing with experience and responsibilities (and ability to produce results).
Education sets you up for life. It gives you a perspective on the world. And it can teach you ‘how’ to learn. The self-discipline needed at school (to learn and to get on with others) is much the same as what is needed in life.
I agree that the education system is not always perfect – no matter where you live. But I don’t think degrading education itself is the right thing to do.
Very good article, Perry. My wife teaches High School & College science, and we have this talk rather frequently.
I’d go out on a limb and agree that an “objectivist” (Ayn Rand) approach to the population problem is key to resolving our social and environmental issues. Not using paper will not save trees; not eating beef will not save cows. The paper and beef industries plant more trees and raise more cows than all the envoronmentalists I know put together.
The planet has ways of fixing itself, and if you look at the latest trends, there is no overpopulation problem to speak of; the growth is slowing down and the problem is fixing itself.
I am not advocating irresponsible consumption. I am simply saying we should be true to what we truly are in the deepest Darwinian sense, not try to be something else; and just like Perry said, the solutions will present themselves.
Thanks / great read!
I heartily agree with you Perry. This is a very inspirational article, and very timely for the world of today. Thank you.
I remember at school, much of it just didn’t interest me (many subjects and the whole idea of school), so I didn’t really try and didn’t excel. And the teachers forever tried to convince you ‘what you do here will have an effect on the quality of the rest of your life’. I.E.: Blow it, and you’ve blown your entire future, end of story.
It’s sad many will believe that, quietly slip into the system of acceptable mediocrity not because they don’t want more but because they believe “this is all I’m capable of”. The lotto becomes their ‘only hope’ then. It’s awful.
Not me. Not then, not today, and not tomorrow.
I may be a long way off from where I want to be, but I’m doing it my way, and I get better and better at doing it my way all the time as I learn more and my attitude improves with every bit of feedback.
I’m learning to accept and learn from my failures and recover more quickly. It’s an evolutionary process.
Interestingly enough, many of the people who were ‘geniuses’ at school haven’t done a thing with their lives worth mentioning. So much for great expectations…
Right on…
Observation:
Even though you share the same mentors (Dan Kennedy, Bill Glazer, John Carlton, etc.) as other incredibly popular IMers (Frank Kern, Andy Jenkins, Mike Filsaime, etc.) I don’t see you promoting their programs as an affiliate.
I even mentioned this in a comment I left on Aaron Wall’s blog. His post was talking about hyped up launches. The comment is below:
“Honestly Aaron, I had a big issue, being stuck in between the Frank Kern’s and the Brian Clark’s, the WarriorForum’s and the Authority Blogger Forum, the SEOBook and the StomperNet. And that’s why the (CopyBlogger) 3rd Tribe is so appealing to me. Both camps have a lot of value and its tough to choose which one to be a part of so I’m grateful to Brian and Sonia for creating the 3rd Tribe so we don’t have to choose sides.
Funny enough, they all have the same mentors: Dan Kennedy, Bill Glazer, Ken McCarthy, and John Carlton. It’s kind of funny how their students ended up on two different sides of the IM world.
One guy who IS the real deal (and possibly an entire tribe unto himself) is Perry Marshall. I’ve been on his email list for 4 years and probably will be for life. Every one of his emails, every one, is an amazing read. I have most of them saved and starred in my Gmail account. What’s funny is that I don’t see him cross-promoting most of the stuff I see in the IM world. He isn’t promoting any of Kern, Amish Shah, StomperNet, Jeff Walker, etc stuff, even though he could (and make a killing).
I would see him as a part of Brian Clark’s tribe, but he’s conspicuously absent from there as well.”
SEO is kind of my thing, so I’m a member of Dan Thies and Leslie Rohde’s SEO training program, but I’ve always drawn inspiration from your work.
Raza
Thats why I home skooled my son. Now he attends The MET School (funded by Bill Gates) Where kids learn at what they are best at, no clones! He loves it and come to find out he loves sewing and has started designing clothes, (crazy) but it works. If all school where like this we would have a better place to live, with happy people. Funny but true the Communist have been doing this for years.
EVERY SINGLE WORD of this article resonated with me and I am thankful that there are people like you in the online marketing community!
I share your belief that every person has their own special genius – the only problem is that most of them never realize it.
Keep on rockin’, Perry!!
Much respect,
Josip Barbaric
Hi Perry,
My daughter complained about the lie when she was in senior high school and I could never agree, believing the general knowledge I picked up during my own school years back in the 14th century propelled me into a life of curiosity, travel and learning.
Reading your article has made me realise how right she was and now I feel so sad I didn’t understand her and help her to escape.
She’s now 24 and a lost soul who doesn’t fit into the usual grind most of us accept.
She’s a very talented girl who hasn’t found her niche. Her particular talents were pulverised by the school system and she is full of self doubt.
I’m going to take a copy of your article if you don’t mind, to send to her so it affirms her thoughts and gives her inspiration to follow her instincts.
Many thanks.
I’
This site has good news on a regular basis:
http://www.globalgoodnews.com/
Overpopulation, ice caps melting, etc… all BAD news spreads like wild fire… what would people watch on t.v. … a story of good news like a teen choosing to keep her child and a family helping her? Or how overpopulation is an issue and “stupid people are breeding”????
DONT be stupid- realize you are ALL BEING MARKETED TO the next time you read or hear the news ask WHAT IS THE TRUTH?
BAD NEWS SELLS
The ice caps will be fine.
We will have enough food, and then some.
People when pushed to their limits will HELP one another, even at their own risk.
Everyone on this earth could live in TEXAS and if we all could get along, and eliminate facism, communism, and socialistic ideology that rewards couch-potatoism we could thrive- even in texas.
My two cents…
Dont be a mindless marketing sponge.
Peace
Scotty K.
Perry, such a great read. Real encouraging along with practical advice.
Great article – we see it in our children every day at school. It is about USP for everybody now but the “system” is designed to accommodate the masses and the easiest way to do this is to not encourage them to be different – would chaos not ensue?
Thanks again Perry,
Derek
Hey Perry,
One of the best posts I’ve read from you recently – and you have written many good ones!
;-)
I completely agree – we need to engage in the act of being “treasuring instruments” to encourage others to find their special, unique gifts by polishing them up, helping them mine the gold, growing new facets of their abundant lives.
It is interesting that one of the core principles of direct marketing is “scarcity.” We live in an abundant world, where miracles happen every day – and we participate in making those miracles come to life.
Keep up the “inspiring work.”
– Dave
This is the ‘long answer’ to why we’ve chosen to homeschool our kids.
The best thing I ever did was home school my youngest of nine. The others went to public school and private schools. They are all achievers, but the home schooled guy is a THINKER as well as a doer. I just could not send another kid through that meat grinder called education where mediocrity is rewarded, innovation is punished and inspiration is hammered out of the soul.
I had a friend whose son tested college level for science in his elementary years but the school put him in “special ed” (they don’t call it that any more) because he was so far behind in language arts. She was so frustrated with his weaknesses that she couldn’t understand how important it was to motivate and encourage his strengths. If he’s brilliant in science, don’t allow a traditional school system to hold him back! She could have sent him to science camps, bought him microscopes, labs and science kits. Unfortunately, she didn’t listen…and his self confidence and self worth were crushed before he ever got to junior high.
Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrgh!
Thanks Perry. You’ve got some great neighbours and i’m sure they say the same about you!
Hi Perry
I just read this post after reading your email “Boldness and Faith – even Romance! – in the Face of Disaster”
These must be the two most inspirational things i’ve had from you!
I’m super charged up and ready to go. If it wasn’t for my wife due to give birth next month I would be in Maui. I’ll make sure i get the digital copy though.
Thanks Perry and keep them coming.
Jimmy Crangle
Good on you, bringing another innovator, inventor and alchemist into the world. God bless!
Absolutely brilliant. I agree 100%. I made a point of graduating one year early from highschool. It seemed the best way to escape.
And it wasn’t because I got super high grades. I applied the 80/20 rule before I knew it. I made sure in my final two years to focus on my strongest subjects: English, drama, politics, religion. Phys-ed was easy and saved me from having to exercise outside of school hours.
I then just aimed to get passing grades. Usually around 60%. One course I passed by 51%. So I got all the “valuable” academic credits and avoided grade 13 completely.
And then I never I ever went back to school.
And, yes, $7 jobs was all that was available after investing all that time in education.
Fortunately, I had learned how to computer program in my spare time (GW Basic) and that afforded a nicer salary (with Visual Basic years later).
And, yes, I don’t I believe the overpopulation theory. Only thing we are overpopulated with is those elitist snobs…. even if they are only 1-5% of the population — that’s too many.
Regarding your line: “The real resource is ingenuity and ingenuity comes from people.” I read an article earlier today titled “How Slums Can Save The Planet.” Of particular interest was this passage:
I’ve heard the argument for over-population and the need to for population control. It doesn’t jive. I wish I could find it, but a while back I read about some research that said with current technology, Earth can support 20 billion. The true hold up in making that a reality is politics.
Thanks for the brain food, Perry.
Hey Perry,
This is my favorite article of the month! :)
Education is never ending and the purposes of education from a sociology and an economical point of views are:
– Education as a community builder & marriage broker
– Education create jobs that later contributes to the economy
– Education is a belief created by a belief of “higher education means better jobs”
Thanks for the article Perry. As I am an economic student and internet marketer myself, this is really an interesting read. :)
Cheers
Desmond
Perry,
Thanks for the reminder. I needed to hear that again especially after a crappy day today working for someone else (I am not playing to my deepest passions and strengths there, can you tell?).
Thanks for having the chutzpah to say it.
And, BTW, just opening that article you link to and seeing references to John Taylor Gatto did my heart good. I fully agree with his criticism of the factory model of schooling that we use overall in the West.
Thanks again,
– John
I like what you are saying here, Perry. However, i respectfully disagree. Overpopulation is a serious issue effecting economies all over the world, including our own, imo.
@Phillipmarlow – you just didn’t understand this article did you?
Are you sure you read Perry’s article? “Genius” is what the article is all about. I’ve heard the same arguments you are making 40 years ago. Sure there are people going without, mostly in countries with tyrannical forms of government.
Let’s look at one example of genius. When I was a teenager most cars were getting around 12 miles per gallon or under. Now most cars get at least double to triple that with more horsepower to boot. That’s genius. That does’nt just happen. People have seen a need and used their genius to invent things like computers and fuel-injectors among other things that have help improve gas mileage. This is just one example. I’m sure others of you can think of better examples. Mine is just an observance of a simple minded older fellow with a public high school diploma.
If left untethered genius can help improve the problems you are so concerned with.
Overpopulation is really an issue even here in the Philippines, but what Perry is telling us is the barking at the wrong tree.
For example, more than 60% of our population is aged 24 and below, and the advocacy everywhere is family planning to reduce birth rate which is more than 2%. That is excellent advocacy but what intervention does the government provide for the already 60% youth? condoms?
I have been a family planning advocate for almost 10 years now but our population still increase. Our youth remains unproductive, engage in sexual risk-behaviors even at age 10 years old because of the lack of opportunity to become resourceful and productive. They are forced to believe that it is only in completing education can provide them jobs and a good future – but they don’t have the money and subsistence to pursue that. They just end multiplying and waiting for money of others to help them. Teenage pregnancies, multiple sex partners, risk behaviors etc.
Providing opportunities for people to earn for them to generate their own income to subsidies their own needs is very scarce in the world of development. We are forced to believe that people constituting an overpopulated country are “problems” and not “solutions”. Donor funds are invested in stopping birth rates but not empowering the already born to contribute to the economy. Corrupt leaders take the opportunity to rob people of this right to become self-reliant. Forcing them to believe that you can make money after graduating and not NOW! and buy votes and keep promising to put you back to school for free. Really?
Anyway. I am a social entrepreneur thats why? I address over population through common sense. Promote family planning and at the same time empower young people to generate income for then to become self-sufficient. By developing unique products that both sustains their change efforts as well as generate income. I am a person that sees economic opportunities in everything and develop these to support human lives without compromising the need of lives of the next generation – thats sustainability.
Great article Perry, I have been talking about this same issue, here in the Philippines but people are too deep in trance in this side of the world.
People who took the red pill should join forces because the giant is too big.
I have a request if it’s okay, I’d like to hook up with JohnPierre in the Philippines, maybe we can do something together since we’re both here already.
I hope you can grant me this small request, because I’m going crazy here, no one to awake enough to talk to. Help.
Here’s what you are missing. If you were to build four bedroom homes on one quarter acre lots and move people into these homes at an occupancy rate of just two people per bedroom, you could fit the entire population of the planet inside the borders of Texas. We would all fit, some 6 billion of us inside the borders of Texas.
When I first heard this I didn’t believe it, so I did the math. I went on-line to calculate how many acres of land are in Texas to confirm this supposition. It’s right.
One could make the argument that not every acre of Texas is suitable for building a home but please consider, this is only Texas, a single state. Then consider how many people might live in the entire country of the USA and from there the North American Continent. Now you would have to more than double that for just the western hemisphere and more than double it again for the east.
Our problems do not lie in the lack of resources but rather the lack of resourcefulness. Individual and collective creativity and the implementation thereof is the answer.