Quotes on Education

Some goodies I found recently.

"When we adults think of children there is a simple truth that we ignore: childhood is not preparation for life; childhood is life.
A child isn't getting ready to live; a child is living. No child will miss the zest and joy of living unless these are denied by adults who have convinced themselves that childhood is a period of preparation.
How much heartache we would save ourselves if we would recognize children as partners with adults in the process of living, rather than always viewing them as apprentices. How much we could teach each other; we have the experience and they have the freshness. How full both our lives could be."
John A. Taylor

"I suppose it is because nearly all children go to school nowadays, and have things arranged for them, that they seem so forlornly unable to produce their own ideas."
Agatha Christie

It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of education have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom; without this it goes to wrack and ruin without fail. It is a very grave mistake to think that the enjoyment of seeing and searching can be promoted by means of coercion and a sense of duty. To the contrary, I believe that it would be possible to rob even a healthy beast of prey of its voraciousness, if it were possible, with the aid of a whip, to force the beast to devour continuously, even when not hungry, especially if the food, handed out under such coercion, were to be selected accordingly.
Albert Einstein

The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound. Fortunately... education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper classes, and probably lead to acts of violence in Grosvenor Square.
Oscar Wilde

To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.
Thomas Jefferson

My schooling not only failed to teach me what it professed to be teaching, but prevented me from being educated to an extent which infuriates me when I think of all I might have learned at home by myself.
George Bernard Shaw

The aim of public education is not to spread enlightenment at all; it is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed a standard citizenry, to put down dissent and originality.
Whenever is found what is called a paternal government, there is found state education. It has been discovered that the best way to insure implicit obedience is to commence tyranny in the nursery.
Benjamin Disraeli

Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters.
Noah Webster

In my opinion the prevailing systems of education are all wrong, from the first stage to the last stage. Eduation begins where it should terminate, and youth, instead of being led to the development of their faculties by the use of their senses, are made to acquire a great quantity of words, expressing the ideas of other men instead of comprehending their own faculties, or becoming acquainted with the words they are taught or the ideas the words should convey.
William Duane

There are only two places in the world where time takes precedence over the job to be done. School and prison.
William Glasser

Education rears disciples, imitators, and routinists, not pioneers of new ideas and creative geniuses. The schools are not nurseries of progress and improvement, but conservatories of tradition and unvarying modes of thought.
Ludwig von Mises

Intelligence appears to be the thing that enables a man to get along without education. Education enables a man to get along without the use of his intelligence.
Albert Edward Wiggam

No use to shout at them to pay attention. If the situations, the materials, the problems before the child do not interest him, his attention will slip off to what does interest him, and no amount of exhortation of threats will bring it back.
John Holt

The End of Entomological Aspiration

This was written for extra credit in my Insects and Human Society Class. It is mostly fiction.

My brother Joel began collecting insects as soon as he could capture them. He sought after every kind, but was especially fascinated by the beautiful and colorful ones. His packed his insectile assortment with vibrant and peculiar specimens, the sparkling filigree of the natural world.

Joel’s collection was more than doubled when a formerly insect-collecting uncle made Joel a gift of his insect collection. This one had masses of insects, all carefully pinned to a Styrofoam pad and organized in a neat cardboard box. Joel loved it. He even reorganized his collection of beauties with our uncle’s. There was only one goal in his mind: to collect insects like these forever. He set out to be an entomologist the day he first received this magnificent collection.

A little while after, a blazing summer day came, one in which our vegetable garden wilted as if in the throes of death itself. Joel, with water hose in hand, was rescuing our mother’s vegetables from certain scorching demise when he found something. It was a whopper of an addition to his insect museum; a gigantic, brilliantly green grasshopper. There was no trouble in catching it and it was soon pinned in his orderly collection. Joel’s collection reached critical mass that day, the addition of this magnificent insect was the beginning of the end of his entomological ambition.

To be frank, this insect was ugly. In all the ways an insect of Joel’s could be truly ugly and detestable, it was. It wouldn’t die. There is nothing less attractive to the collector of dead insects than a live insect, especially one which had the strength and motivation to wreak havoc inside a box of neatly organized, gorgeous miscellany.

Some say that Beauty is only skin deep, but I’m certain it is in the eye of the beholder. This wretched grasshopper had many eyes to behold the necropolis' many desiccated inhabitants, but it perceived no beauty in them. My brother’s collection of nature’s art was laid waste, every piece torn apart.

Joel kept but one specimen, the one insect that was left still whole. No box was needed, he pinned this verdant symbol of disaster to the cover of his insect guidebook. This minute pin nailed secured the cover permanently, and closed it forever. The destroyer of worlds couldn’t have done more harm to Joel's aspirations than this hideous grasshopper did. What once was vibrant and colorful was now pale and wizened, a symbol of the devastation of joy. Insects were no longer beautiful to him; they became uglier every time he looked at the cursed remnant of his collection.

Our joys are precious, and it is a terrible act to undo them. Every joy has a beginning, but sadly, some joys have ends.

Today's Terrorism

From Afterward of Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
     Have the terrorists already won? Have we given in to fear, such that artists, hobbyists, hackers, iconoclasts, or perhaps an unassuming group of kids playing Harajuku Fun Madness, could be so trivially implicated as terrorists? There is a term for this dysfunction, it is called an autoimmune disease, where an organism's defense system goes into overdrive so much that it fails to recognize itself and attacks its own cells. Ultimately, the organism self-destructs.

     Right now, America is on the verge of going into anaphylactic shock over its own freedoms, and we need to inoculate ourselves against this. Technology is no cure for this paranoia; in fact, it may enhance the paranoia: it turns us into prisoners of our own device. Coercing millions of people to strip off their outer garments and walk barefoot through metal detectors every day is no solution either. It only serves to remind the population every day that they have a reason to be afraid, while in practice providing only a flimsy barrier to a determined adversary.

     The truth is that we can't count on someone else to make us feel free… no matter how unpredictable the future may be, we don't win freedom through security systems, cryptography, interrogations and spot searches. We win freedom by having the courage and the conviction to live every day freely and to act as a free society, no matter how great the threats are on the horizon.

Bible Abuse: Romans 13

I wrote this on facebook recently when this particular passage was brought up as a way to show that disobedience to government was wrong. I'd had enough of this passage and its use in argument, so I blitzed it with every fact and idea I could think of and have now thoroughly confused myself on the veracity of scripture. Another day, another dilemma.

1. “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
• God established Hitler’s authority, and submission to that authority would have been wrong. The government of our day has done equally egregious things, should we obey it? Support it? No, we should overthrow it.
2. “Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”
• No human being is capable of bringing judgment on another, God is the only judge. There are others who will try it, but that is not justice, that is enforcement of law. There are several types of law, but the one earthly judges use is man made, not divinely instituted. If one man makes a law for another it is not rebellion against God for the tyrannized to disobey.
3. “For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.”
• Put this to the test and I’ll bail you out. Since when are good deeds unpunished? The writer was extremely naïve, to prove this just look at how he died.
4. “For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer."
• Rulers do their subjects no good at all. Do you think that the ruled benefit from tyranny? That’s like saying “The Peace of Rome” benefited those whose lives it ended. Rulers are only God’s servants in that we are all his servants; the thrower’s pot has no choice in such matters.
5. “Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.”
• Conscience does not dictate obedience to artificial, earthly authorities, but to the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God.
6. “This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.”
• Wrong again. This could have been written by Caesar himself. Or a guilt-tripping pastor concerned with tithing.
• When your human rights are restricted and breaches of them made, are you supposed to believe that the criminal who injured you deserves whatever he takes from you? No, you’re supposed to protect yourself from further abuse. This is why the government is an adversary, not a kindly old ruler whose only thought is your good.
7. “Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”
• Give everyone what you owe him, sure, but do I owe anything to a tyrant? No taxes, revenue, respect or honor is owed to an enslaving ruler or to any ruler not voluntarily submitted to. This is the heart of the matter: Human Liberty. Anyone who trespasses this right deserves nothing less than the most violent opposition.

The House on the Hill

A great villanelle by Edwin Arlington Robinson. Oh, If I could write like this!

They are all gone away,
The house is shut and still,
There is nothing more to say.

Through broken walls and gray
The winds blow bleak and shrill:
They are all gone away.

Nor is there one today
To speak them good or ill:
There is nothing more to say.

Why is it then we stray
Around the sunken sill?
They are all gone away.

And our poor fancy-play
For them is wasted skill:
There is nothing more to say.

There is ruin and decay
In the House on the Hill
They are all gone away,
There is nothing more to say.

I am the World's Worst Salesman

This is an old vehicle description I wrote when selling my old Saab on Ebay. By the way, it ended up in the junkyard. Some find it humorous, so I figured I'd put it up.

This car starts and runs. However, the state inspection runs out in February and I do not want to fix all that I would have to in order to get a new sticker. This car would be a good parts car or a good car if one was willing to invest in it. I have a new car, bought on ebay of course, and I don't want to keep this one. So, I will warn of all the difficulties it has and express that there is no warranty, car comes as is.

This beautiful Saab, as I have said before, starts and runs just fine. It even gets good gas mileage (I think it is around 25 over all). But, it has a few problems that will ensure that it won't pass inspection next month. These are:

• Power windows have no more power but are still windows. They don't open and are permanently closed unless a few parts and motors are put back together. I have all the parts to do so, but some of them (like the driver's side motor and switch) do not work. Parts will come with the car or go to the junkyard (which is the fate for this operational car if this auction is unsuccessful.) 
• Windshield wipers are half-dead. I say only halfway because only one is dead. I could also say that the glass is half-full and that the wipers are half-operational. The driver's side wiper is a paperweight for supermarket flyers, the other works just fine. In the deep recesses of the beast there is a wire that frayed. If this little wire is replaced it will all work. 
• Muffler is problematic. I have worked on it and had it worked on many times, and have never replaced it (although someone else in its history may have). The muffler is on its way out, but works nonetheless. It is currently welded in a few parts and works; it does not hang down (although that could change at any moment). 
• Hatchback/trunk door does not open from the outside. Some sort of internal mechanical problem exists. However, the door can be opened by pushing a screwdriver or similar object into the mechanism and forcing the hook off of the bar. I would use more descriptive language if I were an engineer, but as it is all I can do is offer to send pictures to anyone interested. 
• Push-button starter. The original ignition does not work, but after a bit of rewiring it now has a two-part starting mechanism (Both parts are inside the cabin, close to where the ignition was). My first concern with push-buttons is the theft concern, but no one has stolen it so far (after about two years). What is probably the fanciest thing about this car is the piece of walnut burl that decorates the button. Of all the parts that I will take out before it is crunched that is the first. However, if this car is sold the buyer can have it. 
• Note: I do have a key, not that it would do you any good. 
• Back Brakes need to be changed. I have new ones, but have not put them in due to caliper circumstances beyond my control. 
• Right-side door handle(inside one) broken. Door still works, opens and shuts, but handle is broken. 
• Tires. All they have going for them is their inflation, and even that isn't even right now. No leaks, but they are going to need replacing sometime soon. 
• Manual transmission. It would miraculously shift through all five gears smoothly if such miracles occurred, but as it is they do not. All gears work, but third and occasionally fifth have problems. Third and fifth can be smoothly shifted into by myself, but others have had no end of difficulty. I like to drive this car; it does have some power left in it. It can accelerate fast, and as far as I know has a top speed of 85 mph (may go faster, but I would not try to, the tires being what they are). This car drives like a glorified go-kart. 
• Condition. The seats are made of tan cloth. There is wear and tear. Mostly wear however; there are not too many tears. The outside has green paint that is dinged and dirty in some spots, I have never washed this car. There is some rust, although not half as much rust as the muffler has. On the whole, this car is not unsightly nor in excellent condition. It has struck a balance just shy of inspectable. 

Like a good salesman I cannot remember any other problems right now. I think I have explained it all though. Email me with questions or requests for pictures.

I am starting this auction at $100 because that is how much the junkyard will give me for it. If I can make $110 all this will have been worth it. If you want a good parts car for your beloved Saab, or a good car to drive until the end of February (plus however long the "Rejected" sticker lasts), or just feel charitable and want to help out a needy college student, please bid.

What to buy with my life?

On being told that all the good jobs were in government I wrote the following. I wouldn't say I was inspired to do so, it sounds too pure, but I rather wrote what I ruminated.

I don’t want to work for the government, not because I loath cushy jobs with above average benefits, pay, retirement, and time off, but rather because I have a problem with state employees accepting such things from an employer who came upon the funds through tyranny. If I join the state in their dirty business, I become them; I turn into the object of my abhorrence; responsible for the stigma attached to the tyrant of today. I couldn’t live with myself if I became an accomplice to all the state does, even if it meant a comfortable life.

But, what should I do with my life? Is there a career for me? If disdain and deprecation is all I have for what the masses consider valuable, how can I be successful in any business? I can't sell things I don't consider valuable because I'd feel I was cheating a person into their own materialism.

Certain joys I have: Plants and People. Interaction with and knowledge about these I love to seek. There must be a spot for me somewhere.

I don’t know what to do with my life though. I want joyful, fulfilling purpose, I want to live for another's benefit, but with these thoughts in mind I invariably end up with a desire to protect people from tyranny. Even this, though, would not benefit anyone in the long run or in any permanent way. If history proves that there will never be a perfect world, why should I start building one?

Here’s the problem: Nothing lasts. Why should I invest the one valuable thing; time, in things that are worthless in comparison? No one would invest something of value into something without hope of a valuable return. Why should I use my time for anything but pleasure? That’s the only valuable return, and it’s dismally temporary. I can't win, I can't break even, and I can't get out of the game.

I don’t know what I’m here for, but I know what I don’t like. I don’t like tyranny. I don’t like onerous restriction of otherwise free people. I don’t like pain. I don't like the level of narcissism I sink to when writing stuff like this. Adios.