John Taylor Gatto – Weapons of Mass InstructionMay 29, 2009
His book, Weapons of Mass Instruction, is essentially a rant outlining his hatred of forced public education. It’s compelling and resonates with many of my personal experiences, for example read Are Universities Destroying the Economy. Even if you disagree with the conspiracy element of his hypothesis (public schools were not institutions created with the intent to educate, but to condition people to become obedient consumers and workers) you must take his opinions seriously, because they have the ring of truth. Watch his 1991 documentary, Classrooms of the Heart. Here are a few interviews with the man himself: Swedish reporter interview Alex Jones interview No related posts.
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I just came across this excellent speech from 2006, “School kills creativity” from TED.
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
There must be a conspiracy theory gene. Alex Jones has it, as does certainly, John Gatto. They see the world as ruled by an elite who has a big plan and the power to enforce it.
I think of human endeavor as basically chaotic and think it is quite miraculous that we somehow are able to create institutions and keep them going. Of course there are trends, but I highly doubt that there is any one or any group who holds all the strings and makes things happen all the time just the way they want them to happen. To me this notion is really childish and makes me wonder where Gatto went to school
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Gatto graduated from Columbia, University.
The last thing ANY government wants is for the masses to be able to think for themselves using critical thinking. People who think for themselves are virtually impossible to control.
Looks like your education was successful in impeding this cognitive quality in you.
“None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
quite the ignorant comment right here. if you dont see a “conspiracy” around every corner, and arent aware that a small group of elites do indeed control our world, then i too would have to wonder where You went to school, and also which rock youve been hiding under.
wake up man. it aint hard to see.
It’s tough Alice, I actually happen to think there is a elite that try run the world, but I don’t believe it’s a single group with always compatible goals and methods. For example, there are real disagreements between Americans, Europeans, Russians, Chinese, Arabs, Iranians, Indians and even some groups within those societies. It’s not reasonable to assume everyone’s “in on it”. And even when these groups do have a compatible agenda I don’t believe they’re always competent enough to follow through successfully — but that doesn’t mean they don’t try. To understand their psychology, you should read Edward Barnays’ 1928 book “Propaganda”. It’s not very substantive, but it gives you a peak into his head. The was he sees it, the common people must be managed for our own good.
I don’t agree with everything in this video, but take a listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHtNFZ6K0pE
Well I didn’t mean to sat there was no elite.
What I am arguing with is the notion that Carnegie, who is long dead, set up the educational system to subjugate the proletariat….and that that system still thrives.
Things change always. The players change. Motives change. Imperatives change. If things don’t change, they die.
I liked the Rothkopf video. It brings up a lot of truth. However I am not sure anything like fairness can be legislated. There have always been elite.
But we’re going to have a good look at how government can change the world and tip the scales towards equitability in the next 3 1/2 years. Let’s see how that’s going to work.
My prediction….not so well.
Whether or not you agree with everything he says, you can’t deny how disappointing it must be to read some of those quotes and see what these organizations have actually sought-out to do. We have to be conscious, as parents, or our childrens’ well-being. This includes the ability to think in an original way. In THEIR way.
I’m not sure whether I agree with ALL of it or not myself but I DO believe that he makes some good points and (well obviously) it is a conversation starter. ..For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, right?
I am thinking that the people who will get the luxury waterfront homes will probably be the technicians and the scientists who actually make the greatest contributions to improving society for everyone and I don’t expect they will be able to pass that entitlement on to their children. I wouldn’t have any problem with that. It doesn’t mean their children would be destitute or anything. It would just mean the very best things will only go to the people who contribute the most to society. That incentive will be the driving force behind the change. As things are the people who get all the luxury waterfront homes contribute little or nothing of much value to society.
Ignore the above post ….I put it in the wrong thread somehow.