True Curriculum

Rebecca Elliott, MPH

Lesson 9: Where do we go from here?

Time to say goodbye…

Well, here we are, the final blog. If you have made it this far, I want to give a sincere thank you for sticking around all summer while we educate ourselves on American “education”. We have discovered some disturbing realities about our education system, and its mission to create blind faith patriots who will do the system’s job for it: protect the status quo at all costs. Creativity, intellectual dissent, and natural curiosity about the world are the inevitable casualties of an indoctrination system that requires unwavering obedience and rampant defense. After reading these blogs, the next question might be, “Well, where do we go from here?” Now that we know what our education system was intentionally designed to do, how do we combat this? Should we combat this? I have come up with tips I believe will be most helpful in navigating American education here on out. I hope it will inform you as you continue your educational journey, and if you have completed schooling, I hope you pass this information along to those who are still completing theirs.

Tip number one: Remember the mission of “education"

The mission of the American education system is to create patriots- obedience cogs to a cruel and inhumane machine. The American education system does not and, arguably, has never, valued knowledge for its own sake, nor the pursuit of knowledge solely for the betterment of society. If you are in school and you are frustrated that you are not learning anything substantial, remember- you were never supposed to. The only lesson you are supposed to retain is this: the status quo is natural and good, and is never to be changed or challenged. To be against this type of soul-crushing indoctrination is to be a defector, and you will oftentimes find schooling unbearably painful. It is good to be uncomfortable in such a system, that means your soul demands true education, and that is worth fighting for.

Tip number two: Educate yourself

It is clear now that there is no meaningful incentive to change the education system. If anything, we can see how well the current system is working: people right now are arguing about how accurately we should be teaching history in schools, and if we should trust established science on climate change or status quo politicians. Knowing this, the next step is to give yourself the education that every human being rightfully deserves. Educate yourself on different cultures, different economic and governmental systems, and how other civilians and world leaders view the United States. Take time out of your day, each day, to teach yourself something that you cannot learn in school: basic economics, non-Western philosophy and religions, domestic and global foreign policy, the metric system, how to file your taxes. You deserve to harness all of your curiosity and brilliance into subjects that allow you to thrive holistically. American education is simply not designed to edify the whole person, as education should, but is designed to actively neglect whole personhood and value compliance and labor above all else. You deserve better than what our modern education offers, so do not be afraid to educate yourself.

Tip number three: Educate others

Society advances when everyone has the knowledge and skills needed to live a healthy and productive life. Education does no good sitting in a glass case atop an ivory tower, it must be dispersed and distributed to the masses, challenging norms and instilling ideas as much in the rich and powerful as the penniless and marginalized. If you understand that modern education is harmful to the human soul, why let others suffer while you live liberated? True education is a well that never runs dry; there is more than enough for everyone to find self-actualization and truth. Keeping a liberating education to yourself is no different than institutions that put an ion fence and hefty price tag on higher learning. This education system serves no one but the powerful and nothing but compliance. We all need saving from it. Make sure, on your journey to educate yourself, you do not walk alone.

Final Thoughts

Modern education is incredibly, and intentionally sick. However, just because education has problems, doesn’t mean that education itself is an issue. Education, in its purest form, expands the mind and liberates the soul. It turns curious students into influential scholars, teachers, parents, friends, and citizens. Education does not demand allegiance, instead, it offers choice, and freedom. A system that demands your staunch allegiance above all else is a system that is least deserving of it. Students have curious, brilliant, creative minds that deserve loving care and cultivation. We should never let school stifle education, not for ourselves, and certainly not for others. Take care.

True Curriculum

Rebecca Elliott, MPH

Lesson 9: Where do we go from here?

Tip number one: Remember the mission of “education"

Tip number two: Educate yourself

Tip number three: Educate others

Final Thoughts

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