If you ask me for my favorite conspiracy theory, Coberst, I believe that our education system is designed to produce people specifically ill-equipped to be social critics, which is to say PARTICIPANTS in a democracy; they able only to gripe about how things have not served their narrow economic interests or reflect their sectarian religious values. Whenever our school systems have been attacked by the politicos to improve education they increase the number of arithmetic courses, never courses in history, social studies, literature, or--heavens forbid--philosophy. What seems to be desired is "educated" people in terms of numbers not language.
And if you talk about BEAUTY as one of the great pillars of human meaningfulness (with the true and the good), we see that art classes are among the first to go when there is a need to tighten our economic belt.
JL.
What you say holds true even here in Norway. There is an incredible emphasis on productivity and pragmatism. Personally I think it is sad, and I attribute my eye for beauty in all things to the fact that I paid very little attention in school.
It is the way of our societies that those who spend their lives in pursuit of beauty and spiritual growth are seen as freeloaders who do not contribute. Sad, sad ,sad.
2+2=5 is very beautiful to me, as is string theory.
