Is institutional schooling the opiate of the masses?

[azazel]

In the Bible we're told of how the Hebrews considered a 12 year old a man already (I'm not sure at what age girls were considered women), but contrast that with today's society where helicopter parents ensure their kids at least go to school till the obligatory age of 22 (or longer) so they can get a degree and hopefully, (and finally) work.

I'm told they take this to the Nth degree in asian countries (we've hosted exchange students b4) where kids are white elephants for the most part and have zero life skills.

Your thoughts.

[yoko*]

Azazel, is this another sociology homework question that goes something like:

"MARX CLAIMED THAT RELIGION IS THE OPIATE OF THE MASSES. IS INSTITUTIONAL SCHOOLING LIKE AN OPIATE FOR THE MASSES?"

[azazel]

[robyn]

wouldn't it be fun if opium was the opiate of the masses

[azazel]

what was that story from the Iliad or something where those guys are shipwrecked for seven years but didn't even realize it because they were being wined and dined the whole time? that kinda reminds me of opium.

[azazel]

bizzump

[SEAN!]

the real question is, is being a retarded idiot an opiate for the individual.

wum why you dont you let us know

[esoter1c]

Originally Posted by azazel

what was that story from the Iliad or something where those guys are shipwrecked for seven years but didn't even realize it because they were being wined and dined the whole time? that kinda reminds me of opium.

The New Atlantis by Francis Bacon

[azazel]

Originally Posted by esoter1c

The New Atlantis by Francis Bacon

you should be called cryptic, not esoteric. amirite?

[Revolver]

blah blha blha blaalalhalahab

nothing wrong with higher education or any of that. OBVIOUSLY the goal of our modern education system is to...'systemize' people into what society see's fit.

people feel good when they are 'systemized' cause then they belong to something bigger then they are.

BUT SO WHAT?...

alot of people need that type of direction and find comfort in the 'institutionalization' of organized education.

this is another thing that MP whines about all the time.....how people who go to university and college are 'weak minded' cause they need to be 'told' and 'instructed' on what to read and what to learn.

i think that outlook is fucking bullshit....everyone has there own 'life program'

you need skillz to pay tha billz lols....

[azazel]

Originally Posted by SEAN!

the real question is, is being a retarded idiot an opiate for the individual.

wum why you dont you let us know

peace be with you my child

[azazel]

paging djmarkpaul on aisle 5...

[azazel]

Originally Posted by Revolver

blah blha blha blaalalhalahab

nothing wrong with higher education or any of that. OBVIOUSLY the goal of our modern education system is to...'systemize' people into what society see's fit.

people feel good when they are 'systemized' cause then they belong to something bigger then they are.

BUT SO WHAT?...

alot of people need that type of direction and find comfort in the 'institutionalization' of organized education.

this is another thing that MP whines about all the time.....how people who go to university and college are 'weak minded' cause they need to be 'told' and 'instructed' on what to read and what to learn.

i think that outlook is fucking bullshit....everyone has there own 'life program'

you need skillz to pay tha billz lols....

my main skill after graduating HS was being able to completely tune the fuck out but still appear as a sentient human being in class.

[Gusto]

Originally Posted by SEAN!

the real question is, is being a retarded idiot an opiate for the individual.

wum why you dont you let us know

oh snap? aha sean are you tired?

[Revolver]

Originally Posted by azazel

my main skill after graduating HS was being able to fall to completely tune the fuck out but still appear as a sentient human being in class.

i know..i had HARDEST time with that in my one-reg-u-lar year of post secondary...

then i switched over the the multi-media/audio engineering thing and i was off...

i think its just a case of studying something you are really passionate about it.....and when you do you feel GREAT.

SO ABSOLUTELY YES....HIGHER EDUCATION IS(can be) THE OPIATE OF TEH MASSES.

[tiedye]

You had me at opiate.

[esoter1c]

I was expelled form 8 high schools & eventually all of bc schools.

Luckily lots of acid and having a library across the street @ 17 lead me down the path of The Beatniks/Merry Pranksters/Hippies/Bikers/Gypsies/Witches/Druids/Adepts/Shamans.:P

[tiedye]

Good thing for you that they carry audio books, eh?

[Grapes]

Considering they don't make audio FnK, I'm guessing Blake can read.

[ebbomega]

if I were a TA I'd give anybody who used the phrase "opiate of the masses" on a paper an automatic fail.

[Grapes]

Also any mention of Hitler or the Nazis in a paper not about Hitler or the Nazis

[tiedye]

Did Grapes just say he hates Germans?

That's racist!

[-evil-duerr-]

alright fair enough. but can weed still be the weed for the stoners?

we like it that way..

[decypher]

The thing is you have a choice between institutions. Different institutions subscribe to different ideologies and have a different focus within their faculties. You have a choice which field and what direction you want to go in. You don't have to be molded into believing one idea over another.

When marx was talking about the opiate of the masses he was talking about how it was the 'sigh of the oppressed.' How people come to legitimate inequalities in society (ie, the kings anointed by god to be the rulers." With this definition i would not say that a uni was on the same level. People don't goto school out of a distress of inequality. If anything they are encouraged to be wage laborers and to skip education all together.

[Grapes]

Originally Posted by decypher

How people come to legitimized inequalities in society

Fixed