cosmicbartender

I recently read an essay called "Against School". It stated that compulsory education as it exists today is designed to steer us all towards the middle and make us good little conformists and consumers. While I agree with the general premise of this essay, there's one flaw in the theory I can't resolve.

A working class is needed to keep any system maintained. Someone needs to work the lines, man the machines, and do the labor. This does not mean that they have to be stupid, but if everyone is a scholar, who's going to fix the printer on which they print their dissertation?

The Buddhists have a saying: "Chop wood, carry water". Does it take more training to be a surgeon than a waiter? Yes. But the lawyer may not know how to make his lobster bisque, and the waiter may not know how to argue his way out of a traffic ticket.

I'm not going to argue the notion of dedicated social roles or somesuch, but people can find themselves having talents in mundanity that others don't, and you should do well any job you have, whether it's porta-john cleaner or hematopahologist.

I'll still rock out to "School's Out for Summer", but I think "Blue Collar Man" may have a place in my rotation too.