We all have to go through school but not all of us spend the same amount of years in it. John Taylor Gatto writes about school teachers and students being bored, the work being stupid and the information common sense. In Gatto's essay "Against School" he argues against the strict regulations of education and the forced routine of classes day after day for twelve plus years. Gatto talks about how success is an image created dependently on schooling, how schools create the future according to consumer markets with the students to be employees and consumers not leaders and adventures. but i want to know what ever happened too not needing a fourteen year education, there was a time when all you needed for a future was motivation.
On a regular basis our education is defined to make good people, good citizens, and to make each person his or her best, but written in The American Mercury of April 1924 " the aim is to simply reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level...and train a standardized citizenry"(H.L. Mencken). An educational system designed to produce limited intellects all for the populace to be "manageable". A Prussian culture of education adopted by America all because industrialized, compulsory schooling can divide children to eventually separate the mass of mankind so there could never be a dangerous whole with the threat of "revolution". A separated mass of consumers and followers is easier to control than it is a mankind of adventures and leaders. Gatto sheds light on how schools shape students into what today's lifestyle needs consumers, and a manageable society.
Whatever happened to the rebels who dropped out of school? did they vanish off the face of the planet? or are they living on the streets?
I am sure that some of the people who never completed school did vanish but what makes a difference is motivation and dedication. My father never graduated high school or even started college, he dropped out and started working for a cross country trucking company. Eventually he got into construction and slowly worked his way up the chain of command, he is now an area manager in charge of multiple job sites, he did this with out ever having a complete education. There was a time when a complete education wasn't needed all it took was dedication and the ability to work hard for a better future. Those days have changed into the more degrees you have the better chance of a well paying job, however there is no fine line saying "you will have this job after X amount of years" you are never promised the job you have spent years in school for. And after all the years of school how will you change professions if you want or need to? go back to school for another couple of years? but you are still not promised that job.
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