Importance of school

[subcan]

twite: You are a funny guy and I have very much enjoyed exploring this Topic with you and the others that have posted here. I have a couple of more things to say regarding your last post…

Americanization: This term is usually taken with offense due to the fact that it is usually used in a negative context. I agree that most people usually shy away from worded Topics due to the fact that they are worded and usually take a little bit of effort (on reader) to ‘get up to speed’ on complete topic. (I saw this Topic and it interested me so I read all the posts so that my post would hopefully encapsulate the ideas presented – not reiterate or regurgitate the same point. That can be easily accomplished with a ‘ditto’. ) To me Americanization is what makes the United States so wonderful and why our borders are crowded with those who likewise wish to be Americanized to the fulfillment of the American Dream – The pursuit of Life, Liberty, and Happiness. Americanization has some negative influence but overall the positives far outweigh. To shy away from reading a post because of the length is a lack of interest, complacency, ignorance, or a combination therein.

Capitalization: I think that captaincranky was pointing to the idea that this Topic is about how useless education is or is not and that by using poor spelling, grammar, and lowercase “I’s” does not defend your point very well, whether the point be valid or not. I personally try to always use correct spelling and grammatical structure in an attempt to constantly better myself. Others judge one’s use of language as a gauge to validate what is being said or portrayed. This is a fact of life, and has little to do with ‘being fair.’ All we have to go by is what we see, hear, feel, smell, think, etc… This makes it critical to treat everything as critical.

I am glad that you have had a change of perspective with regards to the importance of college. That is an outstanding accomplishment of those posting here, and shows your intellectual ability to adjust with reason. It is really quite hilarious to me that this is a tech forum and here we are pursuing this Topic. It is just one more thing that makes this forum so fascinating.

The no child left behind program: I think that the concept of this program is fundamental to the American way of life. An uneducated people lead to a socially dependent society, which in turn leads to communism and a loss of the wonderful freedoms that we enjoy. This program is still in its infancy and has a ways to go before it is truly successful, but it is better to start something and then adapt the plan as we see methods/ ideas that work and those that do not. This is happening, but that is politics, and that takes time. Another topic all together. All the same, those who have what it takes will always find a way. Those who do not are the ones that truly need our help.

On another note you did not tell me if you tried the challenge I presented in my last post. I found this IQ test site called “The Classic IQ Test.” It is a really great test and fun too. Just log in with first name (use you forum user name if you don’t want to use your real name) No last name needed. For birthday, make up a day, but give the right year. (I am sure they are collecting research data, based on age and gender) then just an email address. Take the test. I believe it was 40 questions. Once it is done they give you your score. They also give you the option to see what you results mean, but you have to go through about a zillion different “offer” screens to get to it. Don’t bother with this. The score is all you need. If you score higher than 110 I believe that they will email you a direct link to see your results and print out a certificate, since you scored in the top population percentile. I have not received many emails from them, so I don’t believe that you get sold to a mailing list.

Here is the link: http://web.tickle.com/tests/uiq/authorize/register.jsp?url=/tests/uiq/result.jsp

Try it. It is really a great test and a lot of fun. If you do well and they send you the ‘we normally charged for this info… but you are so smart that we will give it to you for free…” email; well it makes you feel like you can conquer the world. Good for the self-esteem.

SUB

 

[twite]

Congratulations, Kyle!
Your IQ score is 136

This number is based on a scientific formula that compares how many questions you answered correctly on the Classic IQ Test relative to others.

Your Intellectual Type is Visual Mathematician. This means you are gifted at spotting patterns — both in pictures and in numbers. These talents combined with your overall high intelligence make you good at understanding the big picture, which is why people trust your instincts and turn to you for direction — especially in the workplace.

There it is whatever that means to you.

 

[twite]

twite you assume that you can learn nothing from the past, so you are free to repeat the mistakes others have already made. If school has nothing to offer you then convince your mother to withdraw you and start your own life. And for Tog's sake quit bitching.

Can you quote where i said that? If you can, then sure, you are right.

 

[kimsland]

Many times
You have said Why do I need to learn history (forget the specifics)

 

[twite]

no one needs to know George Washingtons birthday in order to appropriately choose what they want to be when they "grow up".

In my opinion, history, is history. i could get through life just as happily not knowing 99% of the stuff i do.

twite you assume that you can learn nothing from the past, so you are free to repeat the mistakes others have already made.

I don't see how those 2 quotes implied that i can learn nothing from the past. As explained in many replies, what bothers me are the fine details, and complete useless topics about Brittaney spears. This type of stuff has made me not want to learn anything from the past, not that it wouldn't help in certain situations. I Would rather spend time learning about what i need to do in the future to be successful, rather then what celebrities did in the past to not be successful. Does this make any sense? It seems like you guys are not getting my point. Maybe i just use bad examples. But the content in the Public school system is lame. I don't see how i can prove this to you unless you experience it first hand. Since that is not going to happen, i will just stop trying.

 

[kimsland]

Sorry, you do like history, and happy to learn from it.
But you don't like these specific (and others) useless history topics.

Oh, that's reasonable.

 

[subcan]

twite: that is a great score. For whatever it is means to me...? It is for you. What it does show me is that you are not part of the 'challenged' group, not that it matters if you were. It is a great score though. Upper echelon stuff... although I think that most of the posters here would score similar.

 

[dustin_ds3000]

twite i agree with you 100%. my 11 years of this "school" has been not that great. i have learned more on techspot that i have ever at school.

 

[twite]

Yea i googled some common names,places, ect, and there Iq, and was actually quite surprised.

State of Arizona-94-97
Abraham Lincoln President USA 128
Adolf Hitler Nazi leader Germany 141
George W. Bush President USA 125
Paul Allen Microsoft cofounder USA 160
Stephen W. Hawking Physicist England 160 (really surprised by this one)

 

[EDollar]

Ok, I'm sorry but george doubleya.... oh yea, he ranks high on an intelligence scale... I demand a recount...

 

[twite]

:haha:

I think we can all take pride in the fact that Shakira has a higher iq then our president.

 

[Cinders]

Of course, a business degree in college would help with this, but spending my high school days learning about world war 1 will not. And that is what i am upset about.

Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck united the small Prussian states into a German powerhouse with a simple false diplomatic dispatch from the Prussian ambassador to France to the French ambassador to Prussia. The dispatch was insulting to the French and Napoleon III the French Emperor . Napoleon III was stupid, arrogant and weak. He was the nephew of the more famous Bonaparte and figured if his uncle could rule most of Europe he could certainly conquer the bickering Prussian states. With the French threat of war Bismarck united the Prussian states into a strong Germany and kicked the bugger out of Napoleon III ending the French domination of Europe. Bismarck added insult to injury and had France pay for the cost of the Franco-Prussian war. France struggled under the weight of war debt and became angry.

Years later with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo, Austria-Hungary (Central Powers) declared war on Serbia and their allies (Triple Entente). France was allied with the Triple Entente and Germany with the Central Powers World War I ensued and the Entente Powers crushed the Central Powers. In a stroke of genius the Entente Powers made the Central Powers pay for the war and of course they struggled under the weight of war debt.

In part the huge Central Powers war debt leads to World War II. If the French allies had learned from the past they may have been more fair with the war debt and helped the Central Powers pay for World War I which may have helped avert World War II.

 

[tastegw]

the education can only take you so far. you have to keep excerising your mind to keep it in tact.

take me for example. 13 years out of high school, graduated in the middle of my class, and i have not picked up a book to read since. and now i am seeing the results of this. im forgeting how to spell certain words and its all my fault. the only reading i do is magazines or forums and im not sure that this is enough to keep my mind sharp.

school is just the key to the door, but to capitalize you must walk thru the door and explore beyond whats on the other side. i wish i would have done this.

but lets not forget, good grades doesnt mean your smart.
memorizing everything for good test scores just proves you have good memory.
problem solving is what matters the most. learn how to do this early and it will take you alot farther than your memory can.

my 2 cents.

 

[subcan]

at the end of the day it does come down to how well you solve the problem.
excellent post tastegw.

 

[mailpup]

Your happiness, your success, your lot in life will depend heavily on the choices you make throughout your life. Choose wisely. You control your destiny with these choices. You are not a victim whose fate is determined by others. Yes, children have little control of their lives but you are no longer a child. Don't think like one. Even as an adult it is true you cannot control everything in your life but your success or lack of success depends on you and how you handle adversity. Do you rise to the challenge or do you fold like a bad poker hand?

 

[twite]

Cinders's

that could have summed up my last 15 years of history.

 

[captaincranky]

Shakira....,(Sic)......."Shake-Reara"...........

:haha:

I think we can all take pride in the fact that Shakira has a higher IQ then our president.

Especially when viewed from the back!

You either misspelled "than", or misused "then", what you meant to say was, "than".

As to George W. he was above showing up for the National Guard, where they gave him a 50 million dollar fighter aircraft to play with. I guess he was right about not having to prove himself to us mere mortals. Or, as I suspect, 52% of the American voters are imbeciles. However, Mr Bush has a much different family story line that yourself. He proves beyond a doubt that it's not what you know, it's who you know. But, you never can tell, you might meet somebody who can help at school.

As far as not capitalizing the letter I, in english class i will capitalize it, but i didn't know an internet forum was a class assignment, i will keep that in mind.

The thing here is, English provides us all with the automatic opportunity to state pride about ourselves. This saves most of us the trouble of railing about how much we think of ourselves, and how little we think of others. At least those of us who aren't too lazy to hold down the shift key.

But still, i cannot stress enough how useless highschool material is. .....[ ].... It is like chinese water torture, they just drip the same crap on you over and over again, and drag it out for years.

First, they won't let you in college without knowing it, so in that respect it's quite useful.

I really wish you older folks could experience it (edit(school)) first hand.

Guess what a******, WE DID!

Not only that, we did it without text messaging, cell phones, laptops and grief counselors!

In fact, women once had children without having a $3000.00 ultrasound. They turned out pretty much OK. I don't understand why health insurance is so expensive, do you?

Your Intellectual Type is Visual Mathematician. This means you are gifted at spotting patterns — both in pictures and in numbers. These talents combined with your overall high intelligence make you good at understanding the big picture, which is why people trust your instincts and turn to you for direction — especially in the workplace.

"Visual Mathematician", sounds uncomfortably like "excels at video gaming". The second point sounds as though it should start with "Aquarius" or "Scorpio".

If i had the will to prove myself to some man with a brain pattern as steady as a dead mans heart, i would do it in an instant. If i wanted to be set up, like so many people currently are, i would be writing me english essay right now instead of this. Fortunately for me, and unfortunately for many others, i have no need to prove myself to society.

You can state whatever reason that makes you feel good, (or that you think we'll believe), for not writing the essay. But for better or worse, all I'm getting out of this is that you're running away from it because you don't think you can. Simple anxiety, nothing more .
Like many people, you're trying to blame the school system for the school system's problems. It's the fault of the students. They don' go, don't pay attention, go stoned, carry guns, threaten teachers and so on. These are the lowest common denominators for certain, but they're the most vocal, and create the most problems for anyone who actually does want to learn. The American culture currently is based on the concept that no one is responsible for their own actions. Making statements like, "the teacher made me shoot him", or "The nun provoked my pitbull" <(I actually heard that on the news), doesn't seem the proper road to self improvement. Our culture has become that of routine banality, powered by morons and social entitlment, if you can breath you can vote. A society based on these principles, cannot long endure. <(Now, what am I (very loosely) paraphrasing here)?

History class; the western half of the Roman Empire fell in 476 AD due to internal decadence and various barbarian hordes attacking from the north. Welcome to Rome. Here I project that it will go down a bit differently, with the Arabs buying America and using the Chinese as their collection agency. Another good reason to go to school, becoming fluent in Chinese and Farsi!

Believe it or not, all these issues you have are based in large part on developmental stages that each one of us goes through.
Here I'm going to start tossing around concepts such as; puberty causes execesive aggression and rebelliousness, whereas the "Abstract Operational Stage" addresses itself to social consciousness and morality. I'm sure you'll think you're your the only person that has had beliefs such as yours, but truth be told, more or less, it happens to us all. So, we all might as well play along.

After "thought", (is that anything like an after taste)? You don't have to remember Lincoln's or Washington's birthday. They fixed that. All you have to remember is "President's Day". This will prevent you from wondering, "did the mail come yet"?

History is messy, turn off "Access Hollywood" some time, and tune into Ken Burns "The War", You'll be surprised at all the deadly violence it took to give us the opportunity to waste time exchanging philosophical barbs in forums such as this. One thing's for certain, Britney wouldn't have made it in the Army, only the Mickey Mouse Club. Once upon a time, things were much tougher, and you're at an age in a time when too much freedom is more of a detriment than an advantage.

This post isn't too long is it?

 

[SNGX1275]

I don't want to have to close this thread because its getting ugly, so instead I offer up this pic that I stole from http://imagechan.com/img/img.php?id=4906 (only stole it because it hit the mainpage on digg and was hit pretty hard by reddit too so site was SLOW).

It is about college, but seems to me that it really applies to high school.

 

[captaincranky]

Gloria Steinham Would **** Her Pants if She Saw This Article......,

After which she would likely open a "Femin-Nazi" rehab center. I didn't realize that there were still women in the world who still believed that marriage was a sex for money swindle. It has a quaint innocence about it though. Nowadays, they usually want their check and yours, before and after the divorce.

This woman's writing style is so bad, she could probably earn extra money ghost writing terrorist notes, although I'm thinking she should take the high road and be a stripper! :slurp:

 

[twite]

"Visual Mathematician", sounds uncomfortably like "excels at video gaming". The second point sounds as though it should start with "Aquarius" or "Scorpio".

So you are saying that a test cannot give a general measure of your learning/solving ability?...rather only hobbies?. So is this why you feel school is so important for us inferior, anxiety stricken, rebellious, excessively aggressive, freedom hogging, lazy, text messaging, weed smoking, gun carrying, ignorant teenagers to complete school....so they can find out our hobbies right?

captaincranky

Do me a favor, when you can act maturely, feel welcome to pass down as much of your prophetic wisdom as you want. But for now..keep your day job. In the future, if you have a problem with me, or anyone for that matter, discuss it in a pm.

 

[captaincranky]

So you are saying that a test cannot give a general measure of your learning/solving ability?...rather only hobbies?. So is this why you feel school is so important for us inferior, anxiety stricken, rebellious, excessively aggressive, freedom hogging, lazy, text messaging, weed smoking, gun carrying, ignorant teenagers to complete school....so they can find out our hobbies right?

Well twite, actually I <(note the Cap) wasn't making fun of you, I was making fun of the test. It seems to me that that site, (being oriented toward advertising), was (is) telling whoever logged on wanted they wanted to hear, based on what was told them. Real IQ tests are given by psychologists and cost a bunch of money. You know, psychologists, who've earned PHDs, by going to school, paying attention and have been tested on the knowledge that they paid dearly to acquire. While I believe that there could be some validity to the results of an online survey such as the one we're referring to, there's also a large component parlor game and horoscope mentality.

Here again, either I completely failed to make my point, or you completely missed it.
I was actually sympathizing with you. (Of course in my own inimitable way) I do feel for a young person that has a higher sense of purpose having all the ills of the modern school system inflicted upon them. In that respect, I wasn't referring to you as a perpetrator, but rather as a victim. You chose on your own to identify with the scum, I didn't put you in that category. I do understand how much frustration the banality and crassness of modern society can inflict on a higher minded individual. But, the causes that I stated do heighten the effects. Biology always wills out, and while nurture can blunt the effects, it can't eliminate them.

Do me a favor, when you can act maturely, feel welcome to pass down as much of your prophetic wisdom as you want. But for now..keep your day job. In the future, if you have a problem with me, or anyone for that matter, discuss it in a pm.

Now, here's where we have the problem. You began this thread as a search for opinions, but you didn't state that you only wanted opinions unless they were exactly what you wanted to hear. Since my opinion is diametrically opposed to yours, it seems to have become a problem for you. Now, if you think you can use your own behavior as a reference to measure or comment on my, (or anyone's), maturity, you're sadly deluded, in addition to being victimized by your own superiority complex. This thread began with a childish rant and tantrum on your part, and I expect it will end with one. So my suggestion to you is, try honing your reading interpretation skills, and don't hold your breath waiting for a PM. I figure that there are 100's of millions of other snotty teenagers in the world to argue with, all of which think they're really special, but none of whom I take orders from either. Sadly, you still haven't convinced me you're all that special, and although you won't believe it, I was hoping that you would.

 

[twite]

You began this thread as a search for opinions, but you didn't state that you only wanted opinions unless they were exactly what you wanted to hear.

This thread was started to open up my narrow minded view of how i see society. Every single member gave there valid opinion, including you. Some i agreed with, most i did not, as human nature will testify. I did not start this thread to talk about me, rather to discuss/argue my opinion. In the future, i hope you will respect that, and not bring it to a personal level.

 

[kimsland]

I personally wouldn't argue with captaincranky (once bitten, twice shy!)

No need for reply (you're not arguing), just thought I'd say that.

 

[twite]

Everybody is so focused on the small events of their insignificant and unfulfilled lives, that they don't take small time out of their day to actually live, and see the world through a variety of perceptions, and over study things for the mere purpose of understanding them, their minds have been polluted since the day they could reason, to benefit those in power, because if everybody analyzed every situation and stimuli they received and came to a more intelligent reaction, we wouldn't have as many problems in the world but the rich wouldn't be as rich, and the powerful wouldn't be as powerful, the plan is to pollute our minds with things like television and mainstream media to keep us under control and stupid, because for big companies the best consumer is a stupid one, and for our political leaders the best people are the stupid ones, who's lives are composed and even revolve around these distractions that we call entertainment, its sad, thats why the education system is basically a way to brainwash you and keep you thinking inside the box, thats why a genius like Albert Einstein could never function in school but was more intelligent than anyone who ever graduated from any school, school wasn't made for intelligent people, it was made for sheep to do as society tells them.

Please, go on people, point out the fact that i don't capitalize my i's. It's only a representation of what really matters to society.

 

[captaincranky]

Ya Know, Sometimes I just don't know where to start....

with the rebuttal, since you're generally wrong about so many things.

I generally agree with most of what you say, your take on idealism, and so on. Very high-minded stuff, almost Utopian.

But, as the quote goes, "keep your friends close and your enemies closer". You need to understand a thing before you can control a thing. If you want to be a reformer or whatever, you need to be a wolf that puts on sheep's clothing to figure out how to get dinner. Run with the herd.

In less abstract terms an individual can have all the wonderful ideas for a better world but, he'll (or she'll) still have to convince, motivate, and enlist the help of others, or this person will just end up as a lunatic on a street corner with a "the end of the world is near sign". So, if I wanted to change politics, I would go to college and major in Poly-Sci. Money is the fuel of social change, and the simple fact of the matter is that anyone who wants to be a reformer is going to have to swallow some pride and beg the other "sheep" to use some of their money to further his cause.

I do know that very little to no progress will occur by convincing the people on this website since, (and I know you won't believe this) most of us already agree with you, so you're preaching to the choir. To rephrase; we agree with you in PRINCIPLE, we disagree with you in APPROACH.

What I don't agree with is your stated motivation for thinking (read that as constantly harping) you don't need to go to school.
If you're such a lion, shut-up and go lay down with the lambs, after all, they can't hurt you.

All I get out of it is either arrogance or anxiety, and sorry but I'm still not buying into it. And, I wouldn't be doing you a favor if I did. I still think you're an intelligent person, but suffering from some teen-aged adjustment problems. Problems which you should confront by dealing with them, not by blowing up smokescreens, BS, and rationalizations. The state of the world today is horrific, but nothing will be accomplished by avoiding the problems and playing hooky.

I myself would change the world but I'm just too self absorbed to bother with other people, and too busy playing video games.
Now, notice that I said "I". Also make note of the fact I don't actually play video games.

Oh, and learn to capitalize your I (s), unless of course you're suffering from a Christ complex, in which case being the son of God would afford you the modesty and self confidence not to bother.

Oh and twite, have a nice day, really! Looking forward to nearing back from you,

Yours truly, captaincranky