I learned a lot in school and from an early age.
I don't mean how to read and write, mathematics and all that other rubbish like conforming to whatever the agenda of the day was, following the teacher's directions to the letter like a good little lemming and basically becoming brainwashed. Nope, I mostly avoided all that bullshit, certainly as my age crept upwards, and I came to see it for what it was. I learned well though, despite their best efforts to brainwash me.
I was quite brutally victimised by the other kids (and some teachers) from a young age because of my skin colour and other reasons like my parents being a mixed-race (white and brown) marriage and so on; beaten, spat on, ostracized and shunned, my stuff taken away and meddled with...it started when I first got there at just under five years old and...yeah, it wasn't nice.
Kids can be cruelHumans can be cruel, unjust, selfish, hateful and many other negative things...and I learned it all from a young age which I've carried forward and used to good advantage.
Conformity is one of the biggest lessons they try to teach (brainwash) kids into doing. Stand here, write like this, obey blindly, think like I think...I wasn't into it. This doesn't mean I was a rebel and was anti-social or badly-behaved, (I was brought up better than to do that), but I certainly saw it for what it was and decided to forge my own paths, think out of the box and actively look for solutions instead - non-conformity doesn't go well for a kid in school, but I did it anyway. It was a lesson that helped me later in life and through some difficult and dangerous things, professionally and personally, and generally in my life; school and my experiences there taught me to be inquisitive, to seek and learn not accept, and to be an individual in defiance of them trying to force me to conform.
A respect for, and obeyance of, authority was brow-beaten into kids at school in my day. Respect these people because they're teachers or the headmaster (principal) or because I was told to. But...often these people were instrumental in demonstrating to me that they didn't deserve to be respected; their behaviours were sometimes just as bigoted as the kids and I felt it was worse coming from these "adults" I was supposed to respect and who should have known better.
I learned that respect is earned not given just because someone said so. This helped me become a leader, to lead by example, have my team's or unit's best interests as my first priority even should it place me at risk or danger and to not demand respect but seek to earn it.
They spoke about diligence, effort and a willingness to do what's required to succeed - study hard, do your homework and so on - but I saw people following study-guides and regurgitating the "right" answers, short-cutting for grades, rather than doing any real work...and it was rewarded with those good grades and pats on the head from teachers. I learned that the "effort" they wanted spoke more to making an effort to stay safe, "colour within the lines", fear things at which one may fail.
I learned, through their flawed ethos, that the path to success comes from actually doing the hard work, taking responsibility and ownership and having the discipline and fortitude to stand up and keep on moving after being knocked down no matter what. I learned that to succeed I must first fail and has it worked in life? You bet your ass it has.
I learned a lot at school, but not what they hoped to teach brainwash me into learning.
I was told by a few of my teachers that, I would never amount to anything, that I was and shall always be nothing.
It was a little confronting to the 15-16 year old me but I soon realised it was the best thing they could have said because it underlined my thoughts about school (and human beings) and I used it as motivation to be my true self despite them. I had no desire to prove them wrong, (they didn't matter to me in the least bit and what they thought in that moment or may think in the future mattered less). No, I did what I did for me, and because I'm me, and because I learned that I'm responsible for my success or failure and only through the latter could I attain the former.
I'm not nothing, although I guess others may disagree. I'm something, always was and always will be, and I'm pretty content being myself, taking the ownership and responsibility required for my life's sake and applying the right elements towards making it the best it could be.
I wonder if you learned lessons at school that were not necessarily the ones they wanted to teach or part of the curriculum and if you have would you share any below? Feel free to comment below, I'm interested about how school was for you, what you learned, how and why.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
[Original and AI free]
Image(s) in this post are my own
School for me was good through the elementary years but not so much when I entered junior high and high school. That's where the division started and where it developed into a deeply fractured student body. I didn't fit in with any of those clicques, so mostly stayed to myself. I much preferred it that way and it was easy to see how idiotic teenagers behavior could be. I did well in grades, was bored to tears, graduated and got my diploma but refused to attend the graduation ceremony, much to the dismay of my parents. I do regret not attending for their sake, but as for me, those school people could kiss my ass.
Love those doors <3
Indeed, mostly total dumbasses, especially these days.
School is different for all of us depending on many things, what side of the tracks one is from, how one looks and sounds, cultural background, the cliques one is in...I was happy to be my own guy although the experiences I had (for a little brown kid of 5 years old) were quite brutal. Toughened me up for things I did later on in life...maybe too tough, too stoic. Not sure.
The doors, they lead into my courtyard at home and inside is my battery of trebuchet's for self defense. Ok, not really, it's at a place called Knightshayes, Devon, UK. A lovely place to spend a day...I know because I did it. Lol.
Not too tough nor too stoic to my thinking. You are the person you are now because of past experiences, and because of that you have no tolerance for violence and brutality against those who cannot defend themselves. At least that's how I see it judging from my limited knowledge of you. I reckon you turned out alright 😉
It would be a dream to have those doors and the courtyard they lead into. The trebs would be icing on the cake 😂
That's not a bad way of describing it I think, I've always had something in me about standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, a habit I learned I guess rather than an innate skill or need. I'm content with handing out that which people deserve when required.
Great doors huh? Backed up with trebuchet's, crenelated towers with archer's positions, a decent portcullis and of course, boiling oil, to pour down upon attackers, I'd say my home defense system was starting to take shape. Seriously though, Knightshayes was a great spot, an amazing walled produce garden indeed. I've posted about it back in the day.
Yep, that's the way I see you. Gorgeous doors...I'm a sucker for arched doorways and windows. I'll have to look up that post...it must have been before I knew you
Yep, it'll be back in 2018 or 2019 I guess, or maybe I split it up, the manor home, gardens and the walled garden, I can't recall.
School reminds me of Bully's and terrible teaching. The latter I didn't understand then, the former only too well. My old school is one place I have never been back to. It's still regarded as one of the worst in the county.
So many people have the experiences we had and it's quite sad that a kid has to learn things in this way...but I think it can be character building (was with me and I think you also) and that's a good thing. Does it have to happen that way? No. But the end point is the same either way and a person's life benefits from lessons learned.
Years ago, there was a 40th reunion. I was hoping a certain bully would turn up as I was adamant I was going to clonk him one. He didn't, and most of the former kids who were my 'enemies' were great and I talked to a lot of them. It's a though it never happened.
I don't go to reunions due to the experiences I had; I wonder if the same would happen? I had such bad experiences I guess I feel disinclined to expose myself to those people. Kudos for going though, and good that those people conveniently forgot their reprehensible behaviours.
Man at 5 years already? To be bullied at that age is terrible and kids must have been indoctrinated by parents for sure, my son is 4 and in his school there is a black kid, a Chinese one and twins mixed like you but there is no bullying there
That widen my eyes, really??? That's to be told to the principal and get the teacher punished, you can't tell that to a kid
Your story seems from the 1800'
I agree school just promotes parroting and conformity... I learned that too, but I had to get through it with a good vote, so on appearance I just used to please teachers, like in texts written I would write politics that the teacher liked, but inside I had my own ideas
Yeah, it sucked for me to be honest and it made the early years of school quite terrible and really most of my school life. I'm stronger because of it though.
As for the teachers saying that stuff, yeah it's pretty reprehensible and completely against their purpose of "educating". All good though, I have had a really good life despite their behaviours and that's what counts.
I can't say I learned much in school other than an aversion to authority.
Similar here but I guess I don't mind authority as long as it's for the right reasons and deployed in the right way, by the right people. Still, I certainly didn't respond well to any of the nutbaggery found at school and certainly in my early years there was nothing but challenge, hard knocks, a high degree of fear and confusion, ostracism and that the "teachers" allowed it...not a lot of respect for them. I learned so much and that's shaped my life.
We're difference by the way I love mathematics but sometimes it's hard to remember all the discussion teach me, the teacher when they teach us then after the discuss,we have the quiz I can answer but tomorrow or another day I forget slightly how the way to solve it I have amnesia ahahha
I think it was more about me not responding well to school in general, I have nothing against mathematics, I use it in every day of my life. I found it hard when I was in school though, not that I'm stupid, just that I didn't respond to the way the teachers were teaching I guess.
School... a stage in my life where I also learned things that are not deliberately taught. I was very studious. So many things were happening at home that I felt I had to bring some joy, and my life was all about studying and getting good grades, but that led to my classmates treating me very badly, too badly.
I went to a Catholic school... they wanted me to think like them, to be submissive... they didn't succeed. I became someone who questions, who thinks for herself and who doesn't blindly believe what they tell me. I learned to trust myself and what that inner voice was telling me. I learned that a friend is not someone who is there in bad times; it's easy to say, ‘Poor thing...’ A friend is someone who is there in good times, rejoicing in your success.
I sometimes feel a little envious of those who had a good school experience because, despite having momentary good aspects, it was generally a negative thing. Sure, I learned some lessons but they were difficult lessons for a little kid to have to learn. Anyway, fuck it, I turned out ok.
Like you, I didn't respond well to being conditioned and felt it best to forge my own way forward as best I could; part of that was finding the right people to motivate and inspire me.
Sometimes I hear many people say... how I would love to go back to my school days... and although I learned a lot, it was so painful that I say I don't want to go back! We learned and made a beautiful life, that's what matters. The good thing is that after that came good people with whom to share.
Yep, time and life only travels in one direction (and at the end is death) so it makes more sense not to dwell or revisit things like that I guess...I believe we should use those things as motivation to lead a better present and future life. Don't you?
Exactly, let it serve as a driving force for good things.
Some of my classmates spat paper balls at me through a pen. That was disgusting. I also had to defend myself a few times. But then I did that bullying stopped. We lived very close to school so one time my classmates put a lot of tools from school in my backpack. I only noticed that once I was back at home so I went back and returned them.
I no longer remember most of the things I learned at school. Sometimes I wish that we would have learned about crypto and blogging at a young age instead... That would have actual practical use. But of course back when I was at school Hive and Crypto(?) probably still didn't exist.
Like you, a lot of the bullying stopped when I dealt with a couple people in high school pretty thoroighly but I regret that now, I was terribly brutal and while they deserved it I should have just walked away like I'd sdone up to that point.
Kids can be cruel I guess but I also learned that adults can too. I don't worry too much about my experiences now, I learned so much and am happy with how my life has been; iv has a pretty good one until now and I think it'll continue that way.
By the way. I know you said that manga is not for you. But maybe you could tell me if you like any of these covers and if so which one is your favorite?
Hmm, it's not really my thing to be quite honest, I prefer artwork that doesn't feel aggressive and angry which is what your pieces here make me feel.
I got lucky and for the most part the people in my school were pretty decent. Demographically we were all pretty similar though. It doesn't mean there wasn't stuff going on. I might write about that in a future post. That being said, I think I learned more from reading and watching TV than I did in school. At least as far as stuff that actually applies to my life.
Yeah, some have good experiences and some do not, each make a mark upon a person and shape the future.
I was an asshole teenager so when I see asshole teenagers these days, I try to remember what it was like to be one. I think that they are a lot more bold these days though and don't have a fear of authority or respect for elders in the west. Over here in SE Asia there is a deep respect for elders even foreign elders - which is nice.
getting to the point of your article though about education: I look back on my book learnin' and don't feel like most of it was worth a damn, especially in college. Other than spreadsheets, I honestly dont think I have ever used any of what I spent 30,000 dollars to "learn" at any point in my professional life. If I could go back in time I would just lie and say I had a degree, and then learn how to do the job on the job, which is what you end up doing anyway.
I don't have a degree personally, my qualifications are at the level below degree, although my skills are probably far above, the real world can be a powerful teacher and I've been around and done some things. I think most of what is taught these days is superfluous and governments following form rather than actually imparting important skills that will carry forward.
I have three memories of primary school.
Exercising the teacher's authority, which in those years, when it was generally acceptable for a teacher to beat a student, if he felt it was necessary, happened every day.
The merciless brutality of children towards those who are not "in the same group" and who suffered a lot of peer violence because they are different, be it in class, skin color or physical fitness.
But also friendship, because some of my school friends from those years have remained my best friends throughout my life.
The different experiences people have is interesting and how those experiences affect a person in the moment and future can be positive and negative. I don't see anyone from my school days, no desire to. I've moved on.
And imagine the scene: You go to the 40th graduation in your best form and you show everyone who discriminated you as a kid, how their humiliation actually lifted you out of the mud in which they remained.
Because the one who has the mindset to humiliate and mistreat others, can never rise from the mud.
Yeah, but I have no desire for accolades or admiration for people like that, they're meaningless and irrelevant to me. The only people who I want to see what I've achieved and how hard I've worked to attain it is people whose opinion I value. I'm not a puppet on a string and have had enough success in life to simply be content with that success itself as the reward, no need to push it in people's faces.
One of the elementary school especially bullied me through all 8 grades.
When we met, 20 years later in some company, he repeated the same sentences he uttered as a child.
Some people around us (probably wanting to start a discussion) asked me, "Why don't you answer him?"
"Why would I say anything, when his life is so screwed up, that it would be a shame if I said something to him now".
That was the last time I heard him speak to me.
It's healthy if you have the opportunity to not be in the same environment, with the one you don't want to see everywhere, but in the city where I live, I meet sometimes and it's obvious, I have to be ready to fight back.
Some people never change I guess, just a human thing. I like your tactic of just moving on, people like that don't matter.
i really don't like mathematics. It's just everytime my math subject teachers teach us how to solve the problems it gets me headache.
Yeah, it's hard.
First, I think yours is a worth-reading experience. This is surely a good perspective to discuss lessons from school, and so I am willing to devote a single post to share my point of view in long-form mode. I didn't know about this community till now. Thanks.
No worries, it's a community for anything school related...just make sure you understand and follow the community rules because I enforce them.
That’s what I really appreciate about you and your content, Sir @galenkp. You’re a straightforward person, and even though I don’t share the same experiences, your blogs keep me wanting to read more. Great job! 👏
I'm glad you take the time to read.
For me, school was more about learning how people behave, who to trust, who not to and that has helped me a lot in life too.
Yeah, people often reveal their true identity.