Re:
Didn't Prussia (aka. Germany) become one of the most powerful nations in Europe, despite lacking colonial resources?
And wasn't German soldiers mathematically calculated to be the best in the world? (even better than US soldiers)
And didn't Germany conquer most of Europe, despite having a smaller army, less resources, and more instability?
Maybe American schools should follow the Prussian tradition. Break down students more, destroy their independence, and turn them into drones. After all, great empires are built by obedience, not independence.
The state did this on behalf of the proletariat. The governing body were pissed of they lost and needed more obedient soliders. Their first mechination was to get kids away from their families, then standardize what they learned, and force them into specific roles within society. By forcing school on the population, though it took many years to accomplish, kids were brought away from the home to learn skills useful to SOCIETY, and not necessarily to the INDIVIDUAL. It lead to greater growth of economy, but less happy people. Moreover, they were taxed extremely hard, with little money to take home or spend. Sound similiar to today?
Do you find it ok to be used as a cog in someone's wheel? In some part we all play that role, unless of course I'm talking to the children of the elite, super wealthy families. However, I highly doubt that...
What you speak on is EMPIRE building, which is only good for the top 5%, maybe less. EMPIRE building protects assets and acquires new assets. The army is really only a tool for the super wealthy, as the only reason to enter war now is to protect and acquire assets. We're not waging war because we've been attacked, but that was the ploy of 9-11. Just like it was with Pearl Harbor. Unfortunately lives were lost, but the counter-balancing benefit was infinitely greater to those who would benefit, than the loss in population and destruction of wealth.
Look at 9-11, the only people to lose money was the 90% of average America. The 10% made huge money. Larry Silverstein who lost the towers through his own scheming, is sueing to get DOUBLE damages, i.e. 2 events. He's no worse off. Halliburton is making hand over fist cash. And wall street traders made a killing. Those "in the know" weren't playing the stock market to the upside. They have access to info and resources we don't. They weren't likely to be LONG the market. Watch the video "the corporation." A Trader proclaims how he and his friends WANTED us to go to war b/c they were long oil, and were making a killing on futures contracts. All well and good if you profit, BUT to organize such events to extract wealth is treason and criminal, yet it occurs everyday.
I know your post is meant to be tongue in cheek, otherwise you're just plain naive. IN any event, the schooling system is opposite what is human nature. Learning, fundamentally, is NATURAL. Schooling, forced education with Truant Officers, isn't. It isn't natural to sit for 6 hours straight and learn crap with little revelance TODAY. You learn something USEFUL now, that benefits you NOW. If you're in a current job and want to earn $10k more, you do it. Incremental income increases aren't hard. Likewise, you build on top of things when you learn. IN school, the delayed gratification is to take away the childrens' abilities NOW. TO make them get in line and stay in line. My schools weren't apparently vile, but they still forced learning of useless things.
As I've said always, learning about money is NUMERO UNO, as is learning other LANGUAGES, yet neither are taught with any sort of importance. Instead of bringing well-renowned authors like Rohn, or Robbins, which aren't religious in any context, they teach you as if ALL school is encyclopedias or dictionaries. MEMORIZE. THEN TEST ON IT. MEMORIZE. THEN TEST. The better you memorize, the better you are. However, what shocks MOST college graduates is the LITTLE relevance their education has to productivity in the real world. Few people I know of received degrees that matched what they do, and even fewer do what they study. That's because learning in the vaccuum of colleges is nowhere near close to what working in the real world is.
My gf went to a top ranked business school, and her sales courses were very similar, however, it was also her father who's a top exec/sales person that helped her. She was prepared. Her sales classes taught her alot, and it was transferable. Yet, few students are.
Can't we see the trap? They tell you college students earn, what, $1,000,000more? Spread that over 40 years (25 to 65) and you've added... $25,000 per year. The net effect after taxes is about a $15,000 extra. Is it worth the investment? That's the average. Of course if you go longer, you have to take the cost (interest + principal) and the increases likely while you work. To me college educations are IMPORTANT, BUT I wouldn't borrow to the hilt when a BACHELORS degree is so common and required. Get a cheap one, at a local school, and work your butt off. That is the most successful. While in college DO something on the side. Work. Get a part-time gig in something you can make nice side income. Bartending, electronics, cars, whatever. Maybe you start your own small business as a result. At least you're using your skills WHILE acquiring them. So few people take a working hiatus, expect a $50,000 salary, and only work at Abercrombie and Fitch. Fine, dandy, make money. But that isn't resume building, and it won't WOW employers. In your youth it's IMPERATIVE to get exposure and skills, so when you're applying after college you've covered the minimum 2 years ENTRY requirements most employers have. MOST employers WANT work experience. Without it, you're a degreed potential candidate, nothing more. Some get lucky. But those who are in tough fields can't break in easily because they didn't use their degree while getting it. Poor conduct. But that's the mentality. Take a break from working. Drink. Fvck. Not work. Hey, if you got connections, do it. If it's mom and dad's money, do it. But for those who want more, to maximize what they want. Save, be conservative, learn some saleable skills.
A-Unit