What Work is Really For

What Work is Really For

This is why, especially in our capitalist society, education must not be primarily for training workers or consumers (both tools of capitalism, as Marxists might say). Rather, schools should aim to produce self-determining agents who can see through the blandishments of the market and insist that the market provide what they themselves have decided they need to lead fulfilling lives. Capitalism, with its devotion to profit, is not in itself evil. But it becomes evil when it controls our choices for the sake of profit.

While couched in both somewhat academic and divisive language, one of the soundest arguments for a change in direction of the educational system away from being driven by the desires of business leaders.

This also ties into the drive for computer literacy to mean more than merely the ability to click the “bold” button in Word. Mozilla is doing some amazing work in this area.

It also directly connects to the general dislike for the growing section of marketing “professionals” who feel much of their role is in the manipulation of buying habits. As the article says, it’s often easier to trick people into buying something than it is to make something truly useful.