[nimms]

careful on dismissing which European country invaded which European country etc. Unless people have a good understanding of history, they're doomed to repeat it. Something that becomes very clear in times of strife such as the recent world financial crisis.

One thing that school is good for is exposing you to ideas that are normally outside your sphere of interest, thus attempting to give you a balanced view of the world.

Granted, they're not completely successful at this but I think a lot of that has to do with our immaturity and privileged upbringing as much as it has to do with boring subjects.

"Why do I have to learn this", "I'll never use this", etc etc. The catch cries of a generation of students who have never had to fight for an education and don't have the awareness of how tough life can be to be grateful for the chance to gain one.

[kiba]

Granted, they're not completely successful at this but I think a lot of that has to do with our immaturity and privileged upbringing as much as it has to do with boring subjectss

That is mostly caused by the school systems. Our parents go to their job, and we go to schools.

We are forced into an artificial society of children, and with teachers as authorities. So, we learn what other children like, missing altogether the wisdom and experience(if there are any) of the adults.

So children become very shallow in their taste and what they think is cool.

[fleitz]

Ironically the people behind the recent financial crisis are the product of the best our educational system can produce.

[carussell]

Zing!

Or are/were they exhibiting the shallow results-driven sentiment reflected in statements like "99% of what I learned in high school I have never ever needed since."?