Historical Value

[ElanorGamgee]

I think a big problem with attitudes toward education, at least in the United States, is that society has become increasingly hedonistic. People tend to put pleasure and comfort above all else. Studying is not exactly exciting and entertaining, so many simply do not bother with it at all, or only do the bare minimum so that they can go and have "play time." We spend more and more money on entertainment; look at all the movies, music, gadgets, and events available more than any other time in history to make life easier and more enjoyable. The problem is that people have made entertainment among the top priorities in their lives. In the past, those who had much leisure time and money were the ones who had the best education. Currently the average American has more free time than ever and plenty of money, but much time and money is squandered on entertainment. I believe that to whom much is given, much is expected, and that Americans, who have so much compared to a great deal of the world, should take advantage of the opportunities to get a proper education. Sadly, this just doesn't happen. I agree with the poster who said that American schools are like factories; they bring us in, get us through, and turn us out into the world as fast and with as little pain as possible so that we can get jobs, make sufficient money, and afford means of entertainment whenever we're not bothered with responsibilities. There is so much more to life than this. Of course, there's nothing inherently wrong with having fun, but people are starting to live from one thrill to the next.

[ June 02, 2002: Message edited by: ElanorGamgee ]