We don’t need no education!  -Pink Floyd (The Wall)

Yes you do; you just used a double-negative!  -Moss (The IT Crowd)

here seems to be a discouraging trend in modern America, the idea that college and education is overrated, that plumbers own boats and liberal arts students own debt, that native intelligence is more than enough to get through life happy, wealthy and successful.

I don’t know if this is a drive on some dark cabal of anti-intellectuals to dumb down the voting citizenry. After all, we recently elected the biggest idiot on the block and his base is cheering his every knee-jerk move. Want to go deeper? When Covid swept through our population, a good portion of our public mistrusted it (and paid by having a death rate more than 40% higher than those who vaccinated). But even with this, there are still calls to jail Dr. Fauci (the intelligent question here is “on what charge”?) But the proudly stupid continue to question vaccinations, even through their kids are coming down with once-defeated diseases (such as measles, now sweeping the intellectual state of Texas).

And, of course, there are the flat earthers, the chemtrail loons, and all the other two-digit IQ maniacs out there. Their common trait is that they are proud that they “see the truth” and are not “brainwashed” like the sheep.

Okay, so enough preamble. Let me state what I think: an education does NOT brainwash you, anymore than playing a game of Monopoly removes a portion your core personality, the things you know and hold dear, to reject Christianity or turn gay. The only thing Monopoly might do is add an experience to your worldview (such as possibly not purchasing Mediterranean Avenue when it comes up). Education, like Monopoly, does not alter, corrupt, distort or pervert you. They simply add experiences to your life. What exactly to do you gain by staying home while your friends play Monopoly and have a good time? You didn’t sell your soul. Your life is no different than it was before (except you didn’t have any fun).

The thing about education is that you gain information, experiences, and different points of view. You still have the personality you were – you’d have to be weak-minded to begin with if you didn’t. However, you learn how to think. You learn how to reason. You learn about the world. Further, if you skip school and become a plumber, well, I hope you like pipes because you will be a plumber for the rest of your life. Oh, you might become a small business owner, but that’s it. As for me, education opened up so much for me. I’ve been a lumber salesman, a scientific programmer, a fight simulator modeler, a writer, a game designer (and programmer), a software team lead, and a compliance officer. My career has been interesting, varied, and has allowed me to meet hundreds of people from all regions of the world and all walks of life. I’m comfortably retired and have read thousands of books (here’s the list from the last decade).

What I would have become if I had not gone to college, I can’t say. But I value my education, and I value what it made me. It ADDED to my experience and gave me true insights into the world.

I mean, chemtrails? Really?

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