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”
I agree with your article, Perry. I do believe that many educators are stuck in old ways of thinking that are not relevant for our current society. However, I don’t think the purpose of high school has ever been to provide someone with a trade. It provides basic skills and introduces many different areas so that someone can identify the area that is of most interest to them. Should it take 13 years to do that? Probably not.
I believe that one of my primary responsibilities as a parent is to help my children to find the area that they are passionate about. I also think that you could lay blame on colleges and universities who are supposed to be teaching a trade. Yet, in many fields a college degree in the US means very little.
Wow that’s a hard stuff right there
Thanks Perry, I really needed to read this right now.
Yeah…the present generation is doomed thanks to this mind numbing education “system” we are subjected to. Yet, from what I see around me there is clearly more rebellion, more youngsters willing to quit “safe” jobs, more youngsters looking to experiment with newer things and above all more youngsters who don’t give a darn about college, grades, marks and all that nonsense.
So yeah…though you are right about the education system and everything there still is hope for the future…
Personally, I have always liked the ancient Gurukula system of India where the students actually live in close proximity with the teacher (The Guru, who is a man that has attained immense respect of the society over a stretch of time rather than some guy with a bunch of degrees beside his name) and thus imbibe all the good qualities of the preceptor rather than just read from a drab book only to forget everything after the examination is done with.
I only hope we can lean towards that sort of life-education someday.
Good point, Perry!!
This issue is something my wife and I struggle with: wanting a different education for our still little kids.
I learnt more skills and knowledge for my career and finantial improvement in the last year than in the twenty-somenthing years of public education.
Concerning the “lack of resources”, as they say, we shouldn’t compete for them but CREATE. If we follow our bliss and we love what we do and do what we love, then there will be enough for all of us. living in a less competitive world (although some degree of competitiveness is always good ;-))
Thanks for your insights Perry.
Greetings from Spain,
Carlos
Awesome stuff, Perry!
You commented, “Many give up, not knowing they were only 10 minutes from triumph.”
How true that is.
Reminds me of Thomas Edison’s words: Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
Thanks, Perry.
Hi! Perry,
I just want to say that´s the best and most truthful blog I´ve ever readen.Great inspiration and motivation to awaken the genius we all have.
The Lord bless you!
Sincerely!
Orestes adan
In school they told me practice makes perfect, then they told me nobody’s perfect so then I stopped practicing.
-Steven Wright
Thank you Perry,
I went through Pink-koolaid several times already and I have 4 pages of various things I was interested in and worked on for some time. But it is not enough – I seem to be stuck for months now.
I am also thinking about going back to school – which is probably a bad idea as I can learn really well on my own and I have a degree – but I am desperate as my income is close to zero and I need to find something that will work for me. This brings me to another question if I may:
What was the marketing seminar Jeremy went to that changed his mind about going into an MBA school? Do you have a record or article about it in Renaissance club? Or where I could find this info please?
I realize that if I go to school now that it will cost me min $150,000 for 2 years. ($50,000 in tuition and living expenses, and $50,000/year or more in possible lost income, not including the cost of student loans.) But it seems to be not enough to convince me not to go back to school even after all you wrote and I read as I seem to be coming back to this school idea again and again from time to time. I need to become unstuck somehow. I feel like such a beggar but if I do not ask I will not find the answers I seek.
The seminar Jeremy went to was the System Seminar. Which BTW is coming up in April.
In my personal opinion, a real world education is going to cost you tens of thousands one way or another. An MBA is one way to get that and that will open certain doors for you. That’s for some but not everybody. Personally I’ve opted for buying traffic and mastering it one buck at a time, and being generous with my education budget.
The other day a guy emailed me and said statistically MBA’s do better than scrappers, citing the Donald Trump Apprentice show as an example. That might be true. But in my opinion if you do NOT have startup capital, the street education you get at the System seminar is a lot more bang for buck and a lot more hands-on than a university. That’s MY path. You have to choose yours.
Bravo Perry. Hit the nail with the hammer head in one stroke again. The educational system in this country does everything it can to destroy the creative brain of each student. They want create little robots that are left-brain dominant that take orders and do the tasks with out resistance. The goal of all education should be to teach kids and parents how to integrate their right and left brains and sides of their body through ambidexterity training. Each person is a genius instantly if they start using the full power of their brains.
ralph
Wow Perry are you inside my head or what?
We’ve been discussing the school system a lot at home.
What I write here will offend you if you are a teacher or a like minded thinker.
NOT ALL TEACHERS OK think this way but most that I meet do.They’ve been indoctrinated.
I’m in Toronto Canada with 2 kids in the government run,politically correct,bleeding heart,unionized school system and I hate this system so much that I think my kids would be better off just not going.
One of the top reasons I want my 6 figures back is to get my kids in to a private school of our choice.
I’m 54 years young with 2 younger kids in grade 5 and 7.
So yes I’m an older parent. I went to public school in the 60’s with a very good education and since my son started school in 2002 I’ve been stunned at how different everything is.
I see only indoctrination of politically correct views woven in to all my kids do and are taught.
I’m obviously a common sense old style conservative and don’t appologize for that.
Like you it makes me puke and pisses me off.
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.
That paragragh nails down what I think big time.
The whole agenda of our governments and their entities is about one thing. MORE CONTROL OVER THE SHEEPLE.
Now here in Ontario they will add kids to the system at a younger age.They’ve added preschool for 3-4 year olds starting next year.
So start the indoctrination earlier now.
We’ll be fine at home since I have my kids reading your stuff,Kiyosaki and others that are like minded without a socialist agenda ,but to learn how to think for themselves.
Thanks for leading Perry.
I have a favour to ask.
Could I share this post in my personal blog ( giving you credit of course)and send it out to our school system head office which I do regularily.
No they don’t like me at the school or the head office.
Good that means I’m on track.
Thanks for leading Perry.
You go ahead and broadcast it far and wide.
Perry Great Article, So many misinformed people on this subject. We need not fear the “elitist snobs” and their power hungry egos and their misplace worship of self. Their corporate media propaganda machine or their pay off politicians. For in all their getting they do it out of self serving fear. Although a fearful person is capable of great harm to others (sadly) they rarely think clearly. The freest man is one who has freed his mind from fear. The truth will make you free. With the abundance of life as it reward. Wile we may not be able to stop the train from coming down the track a break neck speed. We don’t have to get on the train or the tracks. That’s something we all chose to do or not to. If you would like to understand more about the real agenda for the world go to: http://amazingdiscoveries.org/
I’m going to repost this on my blog. This is what I’ve been contemplating for some time. I don’t even need to write it now, because you hit the nail right on the head. thanks man. RT’ing too…
Great Article! I’ve followed you for some time now and was quite certain you had a good understanding of how the Elitist mentality dominates most of the world.
If we really are concerned with overpopulation perhaps we should question why people who live in countries with many more natural resources than us live in such poverty (Africa).
I’ve had this conversation with most of my family and the only conclusion I have come to is that we no longer accept responsibility for our own actions. We blindly run to government to protect us from all that offends or endangers us, never knowing the consequences that follow.
It is this fear that has brought upon our current situation. Had we not run to government after the bank failures in the early 20th century we would not have a private central bank today. I will let one of the world’s foremost central bankers highlight this point; “Permit me to issue and control the money of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.” Mayer Amschel Rothschild
So thank you Perry because you sell the opposite of Fear, you sell information that increases Knowledge and Knowledge is the antitheses of Fear.
Carpe Diem,
Richard
To Skinner – Way to go!
You’re in for a lot of work and probably a lot of criticism from friends, but it’s worth it. You’re also in for for freedom – no more being tied to the school’s schedule.
And, your child will learn more and enjoy it.
I pulled both my kids out of school and taught them at home during the elementary years, and I’ve never regretted it. My kids are life-long “learners” now – but they study the things that interest them.
A “side bonus” that few talk about is that we quit being sick all the time. When the kids were in school they brought home a new “bug” every other week and that came to a halt.
When I did it, it was years ago, and I had a terrible time with getting books and trying to find out what a normal curriculum was. No one could tell me. I finally bought the books from Calvert Schools in Maryland and we used their curriculum as the base to get the basics for math, English, history, etc.
Wishing you and your child joy in this new adventure!
Another great post Perry.
For those this may have inspired to investigate home schooling your children, you might find the Robinson Family self-taught curriculum of interest.
Dr. Robinson based his curriculum on exactly the ideas that Perry wrote about here. We are all unique and have areas of special talent that we should be able to study deeply.
http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/
I am sure that the Robinson curriculum can be awesome in some circumstances, but I would caution that it can also be major overwhelm. I have seen it, first hand, cause misery and stress and actually kill the joy of learning, worse than the public system. There are a ton of options out there for homeschooling, as I am sure you are aware, I encourage you to look at several before picking one (or more, or less). Enki was an incredible resource for me during the stint where I was homeschooling my boys, one I would highly recommend for the younger grades.
My wife and I took the kids to a local homeschooling co-op last week. Interestingly enough, they had about a dozen families in this little startup and three of the mom’s I met there were former public school teachers.
Anyways, they go with the classical style which basically throws everything at the kids – even if they don’t understand it yet. So, 6 year-olds are getting Latin. Interesting. Intimidating too.
But the info still gets stored in their subconscious and eventually pulled out and assimilated.
My point? Experiment. There is no right or wrong curriculum. Look around. Try stuff. Find what works and go with it.
My wife was out the last two days so I did my own version of school. My boys, 8 and 6 read paragraphs from National Geographic – something I saw them very interested in (about Right Whales). Then, after reading it aloud we had a game to see who could remember the most. I’d write questions on the board and they’d come up and write their answers.
Kind of silly, but it challenged them and kept them interested. And I think that’s the point.
I agree, Curtis, that’s what matters! Because what the kids are interested in, they will retain a whole lot longer and get a whole lot better than learning it “the standard way.” Great job!
I read a quote by Harry S. Truman a kazillion years ago, “I have found that the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.”
Can certainly be adapted to learning – “find out what they’re interested in and then encourage them to learn about it.”
Perry.
Read this Sunday night.
Monday morning we pulled our son out of public school.
He is awesomer than he thinks.
Five years ago we sent a happy, excited and eager 5 year old off to school.
I return we got a sad, anxious, angry little boy that hates school and would never fall asleep on a Sunday night before midnight he was so pent up about school.
NO MORE.
When we told him this morning what we were doing, he was happier than I have ever seen.
The change was immediate. We finally woke up, we listened to him and took away the “prison” he has been suffering in for half his life.
Thanks.
Skinner,
WOW. WOW. You go, man. Enjoy the new adventure with your son!
Perry
Skinner, a word or two of encouragement.
My mother sacrificed to home school me (and 3 siblings) for all but 2nd grade. It wasn’t easy, and it took a lot of work on her part.
Carried a 4.0 in college until I got bored with class and realized that the world offered so much MORE to learn than outdated 10 year old computer programming books. (and that I could get a jump start on the market before all my peers graduated!)
Business owner by age 22.
Published by age 24.
What drove me? What drives me today?
The honest truth that I CAN.
A truth that was instilled by parents who cared enough to explain that to me.
Perry’s posts aren’t worth the pixels they are displayed on if they don’t drive someone to action.
I am thrilled for your family.
If you have any questions about the curriculum we used, or any problems, feel free to look me up.
AWESOME!!! I couldn’t agree with you more…I don’t think I could…this is why I am so devoted, most of my life energy these days, goes toward doing what I can to make this a place where people are helped and encouraged to find the diamond-genius from the time they are interested, like around 2 years old.
I know this might seem self-promotional, but really my life is about being other-promotional, the ‘other’ I focus on are our children, all our children.
Imagine, and it sounds like you do, a world where everyone is living their diamond-genius and all the other wonderful aspects of their lives. That’s what I’m working for.
You might like to check out my work. Thanks for yours. It was so refreshing to read your blog. Thanks for writing it and thinking as you do.
Hey Perry great article! It’s the REALEST article I’ve read thus far. And when I say realest I mean you don’t sugar coat it, you call it how you see it. Keep doing that…
The thing that stands out the most to me is where you talked about people looking for that magic formula, the secret… When in all seriousness the secret is realizing the true answer lies within you. As soon as an individual realizes that, he/she can begin experiencing all the wonders and abundance that life has to offer.
Has anyone ever heard of a man named Napoleon Hill? Well if you haven’t you should read the book called “Grow Rich With Peace of Mind”. This book will help you gather a better understanding of how to achieve ALL that life has to offer you.
Other than that keep up with Perry Marshall because I believe he truly has your best interest in mind when it comes to Internet Marketing and what not, so stay tuned… I will be!
Peace
As a homeschool parent I can tell you that you are 100% on the mark about individual strengths.
I am constantly amazed at the brilliance of children when they are encouraged to shine.
Another one Perry,
Our educational system is patterned with the US. If I can remember history, its the Thomasites who promoted education in the country. That is one of the greatest contribution of the US.
Greatest?
Yes according to our books, but I do not know what is great about developing technology and all stuff where countries the US “educate” will soon buy their technology and destroy the natural resources and our humanity? Like for example, computer – people like me work at the PC 18 hours a day, cars – burning the oil that cools the inner earth, equipments – coming from mining that ravage the internal organs of the earth, and warheads that kill people created in the Image of the great Spirit and etc.
Anyway, the system is already there and better to light a candle that to curse the darkness.
My point here is something spiritual, the indigenous system of education is in a formation of a circle where the teacher forms part of the circle and most often times under a tree where the tree also forms part of the circle.
Now, the American system replaced it with a classroom (derived from cement obtained from the earth). The teacher is a God that nobody can argue, all front students are good listeners and those in the middle slow learners and those at the back are the soon-to-be kick outs.
The environment is closed and competition is horrible. First honors, second honors etc. The different type of learnings unique for each child is also disabled – the only ritual is listen, read, compete, etc.
In a circle type of system, all participates and all skills and abilities are harnessed plus the energy of the tree, the connection between students and the oxygen of the leaves promote a very conducive and enabling environment. (But they call this paganistic)
No wonder only few pass the standards and get all opportunities of the world while others who has the ability to pursue his/her own uniqueness and develop this world into a sustainable world even up to 20 billion are there in the slums, prisons and streets.
I remembered my lowest grade in 2nd year high is 69 for my Biology subject, 70 for my bookkeeping at 3rd year, and 70 for algebra. My highest is earth science at 84. I dreamed a 90-95 but never got any.
My God, now I’m a Biologist, I am directing an NGO where I mastered crafting work and financial plans, and tutor for youth for their subjects better than my teachers who seems like robots.
Anyway, my learning style is more on exploring and reading and not listening, thats why I’m slow learner and did not pass the American way of instruction. My way of learning is what the earth bountifully provide. Those are enough, enough even for 20 billion people.
Hi Renie, the blog manager emailed me about you, I am developing a business model for at-risk youth where I need mentoring and partners, I hope you and others can help me (maybe Perry also).
Good stuff you’re sharing here. I do agree with your stance on education.
After all we should pursuit our unique desires, develop our unique gifts.
The worst thing in online marketing you can do is jump on it because there are “quick money” to be made. There are money to be made and some of us made them quick. but for the rest it’s all about hard work and application what you learn along the way.
Don’t let a lack of academic qualifications limit your aspirations – who does nowadays?
Mankind can do anything – the false belief of every failed empire/super-power in man’s history.
Great Post. Social security seems to control population very well – just look at i.e. Western Europe or Japan.
I have tried a lot of different ways and I am searching for my “thing” for many, many years now and I have not found it yet. I find it really hard to discover what to do next and if it is the right thing to do. I went down the wrong paths so many times before.
Perry, do you know of tools that could help to find my way? (I read all of your site.)
Here’s a good start: http://www.perrymarshall.com/pink-koolaid
Perry, I agree totally with your statement “When people are empowered to pursue their own uniqueness, almost all of them are a genius at something.” I personally would just get rid of the word “almost”. As an inspired entrepeneur and parent of a 6 and 10 year old, I know that it is insane to rely on the public school system to teach children how to embrace and grow in their uniqueness. That responsibility is up to the parents. Unfortunately, there are few parents who understand what it takes to allow and nurture a child to be all he or she can be. There is no user manual and it takes a certain innate feeling-knowing in oneself first to really help anyone else. When a child who has learned to embrace their uniqueness and is inspired to be all they can be as a unique, but not separate, grand expression of Life, then the world will change in a heartbeat. One fine day there will be no need for one to suffer through their uniqueness being squelched, for they will be supported and inspired to wear their uniqueness on their sleeve proudly and if they are in business, their marketing would be inspired, unique, effortless and natural.
We can see that consensus-reality systems and structures are starting to fall all around us. Life has had enough of the wasted energy and control mechanisms. It is time for humanity to grow up into the fact that we all are important unique manifestations of a universal energy that is hear to learn how energy works and to be all we can be. Life is a playground not a prison.
Mr. Marshal;
As usual, your perspective is a treasure to behold. While you offer your courses to help others, you also admit that you don’t have “THE ONE AND ONLY WAY” to develop personal success. You encourage others to develop their own personal techniques and talents. I admire and appreciate your honesty. I have studied “internet marketers” for several years now and there are only a few that are even close to honest in their dealings with others. You are one of the ones I trust. There are times when I may see things from a different perspective; however, I value and consider your insight to be very useful in tempering my own insight. My publisher is preparing to release my first book by Easter to a specific market and the promotion will be about 90% opposite of conventional marketing techniques, yet it will totally overwhelm the market it is presented to.Your article itself is the same pattern that my publisher will be using. I am truly inspired to know that I am not alone in the way I think. I wish you great success in helping others discover their potential. We all need to be aware of just how unique each one of us really is. Thank you for your time.
President Obama says the beatings will continue until output improves…
http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/18271166
Here is a TED Talk I think you’ll enjoy
Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
Perry,
Great article.
Back in the early days of American history, students were expected to learn something substantial. Mr. Obama is now advocating what amounts to Universal College Education (the first year or two.) Effectively, this will be taxpayer financed REMEDIAL EDUCATION.
Universal Secondary Education has been a total debacle. Students now need 14 years of “education” to learn what previously took
12 years. Too many college graduates, including Ivy League grads, are unaware of many important aspects of our history (and often the sciences as well.)
Slightly worse are the (foolishly) accredited BS programs where you can get your BS Degree in 14 months going to class (on messing around online) one or two nights per week.) I’m not quite sure how someone can learn as much in 1/4 the time of a conventional program.)
Who is at fault? Most of the players… many, but not all of the: educators, parents, students.
A better approach would be to abolish the US
“Universal Education.” Much of the money is wasted on students who do NOT want to get an education, and passively or actively resist it.
Spending money on those who refuse to learn is NOT an “investment.”
Instead, I say, let’s make publicly funded education a PRIVILEGE, not a right. If the continuation of one’s education required meeting benchmarks, many who are unhappy because they are “forced” to go to secondary schools might become determined to justify continuation of their “RIGHT” to learn. In any event, those who totally goof off would not be eligible to have hard working people to pick up the tab on the BABYSITTERS AKA school teachers. BTW, the teachers would find it far easier to educate those who WANT to learn.
Too many inner city schools are war zones.
Removing the combative types from afflicted classrooms would allow those who want to advance to learn and achieve their dreams.
BTW, Malthus theory of the “Iron Law of Population” was demonstrably wrong. The world population is nearly now eight times (8 X)larger than it was when he made his awful predictions. Technology and innovation can solve the problems IF RESOURCES ARE NOT WASTED ON the wrong things. In reality, much of hunger in the world is as the direct result of governments and tribes destroying crops to starve out rivals.
John
Everyone,
1. Please remember Perry’s comments about ingenuity and the population explosion when you’re discussing crop genetics. Breeding desired traits into crops will keep people fed and keep political borders secure. Global food shortages will bring unimaginable chaos. Companies like Monsanto are not the enemy. Quite the contrary.
2. Education in a changing world is the target of James Burke’s Knowledge Web (k-web.org). The group’s mission is to tap the human capital that has been historically hard to reach or shut out. New technologies can reach new pools of intellect.
3. OK Perry, I’m now convinced you’re not a huckster selling get-rich-quick dreams. Now if I could just get my sales to take off, I wouldn’t have to return to a corporate job.
Now, now!
You really helped some people’s coming out here!
Haha! Great!
Could not agree more. Everyone is unique, and everyone has its place. We just have to find and excel in it.
I’m that guy – private college, fancy MBA, sucked into the corporate world by a big salary, only to labor with a bunch of mindless drones. fortunately, I jumped off right after 9/11, and I’m an entrepreneur with a nice, succesful little busness. However, I’m still not passionate about it – the old systems that were built into me are like an addiction that I can’t shake. I turn 44 on Saturday, and I’m praying for passion before 45.
It is funny how Mike is right, the Russians have been doing it, to varying degrees of succes, for over a century. In the late 19th century, Kropotkin (and others) devised a school system that aimed for maximizing the potential of every child. Specialization is a major tenet of mutual aid. The early communists (not the fascist bureaucrats who ran the country later)did NOT envision a society of mindless farmers and day laborers. They knew that innovation and progress were REQUIRED for the revolution to succeed. The capitalists, God help us, “won” the cold war because the Soviet government actively suppressed creativity. Although, the capitalists only tolerated creativity so long as they could creatively exploit it for a profit.
Short summary, anyone in power is an @55hole, no matter what they call themselves. Any education system designed by the government and promoted by corporations is the last thing we should be putting our kids through.
I went to a private school and Im glad of it. I was taught fine arts, preforming arts, philosophy and athletics as well as “core” classes from k-12. That allowed me to choose colleges based on: do I play D1 soccer, take a scholarship for musical theatre/voice, or study architecture. Now Im dual majoring Arch and marketing, am a partner in an internet marketing firm, and do soccer and theatre just for fun. As just a poor hick from Florida, I couldnt be doing this if I went to public school.
The geniuses who discovered their uniqueness and excelled in life went to school, and maybe a quite average school. They simply never expected school to do it all, refused to be programmed and drove their own destiny. Schools aren’t perfect and never will be. Personal responsibility says don’t blame the schools nor society. Blaming at all is a cop out. Yet 80% will blame, while 20% will get off their duff and make it happen.
I will always be grateful to my first grade teacher, who recognized that I was an advanced reader and sat me in the back of the room with a 4th-grade geography book while she subjected the rest of the kids to Dick and Jane–and I still have a soft spot for geography :-). I agree with much of what you say here, and both my children went to charter schools that encouraged independent thinking, creativity (including a solid commitment to the arts), and pro-social behavior.
I went to a very academic high school, followed by a very alternative college. The biggest and most useful lessons I got were in how to survive and thrive in strange cities.
Yet I continue to be a lifelong learner, and to value education whether it’s found in a book, a teleseminar, a live event, or a walk in the woods.
I agree with much (though not all) of your rant, and will Tweet the link.
–Shel Horowitz, co-author of Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet
Perry,
First, excellent article. We homeschool our children. Each day that goes by only helps solidify our decision.
Secondly, and still related: I am a health care professional making a low six figures a year. But, despite the money, I feel like I’m going to prison every day.
I have a good deal of marketing knowledge and have written against some of the best DM copywriters and companies around on a part-time basis in one of the most competitive industries around (supplements) but cannot, even with my wife’s support, ‘cut the cord’ from the wordaday life (I would take my marketing knowledge to ‘my’ industry where the marketing is abysmal – much less competition for me).
As painful as it is to admit, I am a product of the public school system and, even at age 33, am still fighting the years of indoctrination. Not to mention, I feel like a hypocrite telling my kids they need to go out and do it – when I can’t do it myself.
Sorry for the rambling, but your post struck a chord with me on a number of different levels. If anyone has any constructive advice it would be greatly appreciated.
Curtis,
Just keep honing your chops. And yes I think there are segments of the health care profession where some good marketing chops would be most welcome. I have an old newsletter back issue called “Secrets of the JPDK model” that you could purchase by opening a support ticket & paypal, which talks about the complexities of teaching marketing to a profession.
Finally, it’s no crime to not have it all figured out at 33. Be patient with yourself.
Perry
How inspiring and true. There’s a ‘matrix’ of disinformation created mainly by the media and mediocre education . Not very different than brainwashing used by communists, only the tools are different.
inspiring!
Perry for Education Minister here in the UK! What do you say Mr Marshall?
Great article. That should slaughter some sacred cows.
The problem is that kids at school are taught to dream and not to plan. They are not taught to think for themselves, and have this pie in the sky that a job working for somebody else at a pittance is the be all and end all of it all.
The parents are at fault because they are in the same rut.
They do not teach the kids to get out and do it, and not to be some else’s tame sheep.
I believe that 90% of all kids (and adults as well) lives and circumstances are the product of their parent’s thinking.And this I also believe that it is mainly of the mother. Not just their own.
I grew up poor, decided that a life like I had was not for me, started my own business many years ago and we are doing quite fine thank you.
I even tried studying further after school, and
discovered that an MBA would be just ” More Bad Advice”, and dropped all studies except front line stuff for my business.
I got out of the bucket of crabs.
That is also why we are home schooling our son. He sees us in our own business on a daily basis and knows that if he wants something, he must get out and do it, or it won’t get done for him.
And man, does he achieve things!
He does not dream, he plans and acts on his plans.
Maybe he will feed the “over population”, who knows?
Once again Perry great article, and wisdom. Loved this article a lot because of the wisdom in it if people see what you’re saying.
@Phillipmarlow, give me the problem of population, I’ll take them all on and turn the population into an asset for the country.
That’s people. People are the real power because they can come together, and stop wasting their sweet time looking to blame anyone or government.
Why wait for government when we the people are the government, the owners of our fate. It’s people’s small thinking, not seeing that they can come together, gain skills in a profitable market in global world.
And together, they work, as a community to supply to the demand.
Stuff government and solution out there. You can’t solve the problem with the same thinking that keeps people poor.
I came from a country like that and that kind of excuse is the very reason our country didn’t move forward, waiting for a pouncy government.
In UK, we came in 1970s, we have more businesses, more wealth than the english folks who are BORN in UK.
Guess what?
Instead of them asking us how we do it, they BLAME US for their lack of wealth and riches.
And government because “oh there’s too many immigrants..”
No, not too many. Just too damn smart and we invested thousands on right education. Most of us NEVER went to school or college cause we saw others done it and look where they at.
In our city alone, we nearly own the homes, shops, resturants and now…we moving into owning banks.
We didn’t wait for government. We ARE the government.
And I liked Perry’s article. He’s spot on. Loved it mate, pure loving it!
At school I found that the 20% of the people who were prepared to put the work in achieved the results. The other 80% were trying to put in the minimum amount of work in to get the grade they wanted.
A Degree, Masters or Doctorate is valuable because it shows the person can finish what they start. In the fast changing world that we live in information is becoming obsolete faster than it can be taught.
200 years ago people were scared that global trade would grind to a halt because they were running out of trees that could furnish masts for sailing ships. Then somebody invented coal powered ships. Human ingenuity will find a way around bottlenecks.
These bottlenecks or should we call them “storms in a tea cup” only seem important at the time.
What is important is that we try to leave the world and it’s inhabitants in better shape than we found it.
Aaahh! That hit the spot. Thanks for the encouragement Perry.
Have fun in Maui.
Hi Perry,
I’ve been reading your post and emails for the past 5-6 months and it seemsasthough you tell it like it is. I’ve been and entrepreneur all my life and have felt his way about our education system since i started to study learn grow and develop in these areas as an entrepreneur.
It is very unforntunate for some but fortunate for other’s about the way are educational system works. We all have to realize that it is a business just like the businesses we all are in and they need to continue to brainwash people, keep them dependent on them and ignorant so that they can continue to feed the goose that lays the golden egg. However it is our job as 80/20 individuals to get the message out about such scams because they definately are legal scams in my opinion. Perry you are so right on with your articles that I’m going to use your services in a present project that I’m
puttuing together and i know you will be a great asset, joint venture partner and team player to help ge my message out.
Thanks so much or your candid tell it like it is approach because this is what people need to hear most even if the don’t agree. I heard a lady say one time that time will either promote you or expose you. My question is hich end will you be on? Keep the articles coming.
Jeff T
Perry!
I love it when you go on these rants!
Especially about this topic.
GREAT
Caleb
This is my favorite of your posts Perry- absolutely great.
This is a pretty damn profound post you have made Perry.
When one really thinks about all of the people in China, or Iran, or Haiti, or [insert country here] that possess unique talents and skills that would collectively help the world be a better place – but that have not been uncovered or tapped yet – well, its mind boggling to think of the potential of the human race.
Its like God gave us (i.e mankind) all the tools to either figure it out, or – to screw it up.
There is a great quote by Albert Einstein that says…”Education is that which remains when one has forgotten everything he learned in school”.
I think he was referring to the fact that real education starts when you start using your brain the way it was intended rather than be the cog in the wheel that so many succumb to.
Enough air? According to analysis of air trapped for 2000 years there is already 20% less oxygen in the air.
Enough food? Yes there is, just no political and social will to distribute that food where it is needed. There are already many many people that know how to grow food for 12 billion people, yours truly included.
Education? Yes it sucks. I am 69. I had a great education once i got out of my one room school house and into high school and college. I taught some in college when i was about 45. I couldn’t believe how uneducated and lazy most of the kids were who in the last semester of their college computer science course. But i ended up giving several of them A’s because they rose to the challenge and did very well, probably for the first time in their educational life.
Too many people? Maybe not but there is too much pollution and too much consumption. We are leaving little for our descendents except trashy air, water and land. We care only for ourselves and think not of those who come after us.
BRAVO! BRAVO! Standing on my feet clapping…
You are telling it like it is Perry.
I’ve long been sick and tired of the elitists trying to control my future and that’s one key reason my wife and I chose to home school our kids.
We constantly encourage them to be entrepreneurs and find their passions and geniuses. Do what you love and don’t spend your life a servant to someone else’s corporation.
Thank you and keep preaching it brother!
Tony
What a great article post to perk me up today! I believe every person has unique ability and that he just needs to find it.
The challenge is how would each one find that unique ability?
Thanks.
Here’s a good start on unique ability: http://www.perrymarshall.com/pink-koolaid