[JimtheCoder]

"I think we need to teach people that learning stuff yourself is free if you know where to look. We teach everyone school is the only path to knowledge which is, quite frankly, the most expensive, slowest, and overall worst way to learn almost everything. Outside some limited domains most concepts necessary for gainful employment can be self taught."

While I agree with what you are saying and am also 100% self taught myself, I think a large portion of people (especially outside the tech world) just aren't able to pick up a book, read it, pick up the knowledge and put it into practice efficiently.

Especially with no accountability or social pressure that sitting in a classroom provides...

I am not arguing for college or university, but I think that just giving people (especially someone in their 40s or 50s) a book and expecting them to pick up new skills may be asking a bit too much...