Isn't education the best antidote we have against misinformation, against ignorance, against hateful ideologies, against our least civilized impulses?
Is it possible to have a civilization that works well, with institutions that work well, if the population is poorly educated?
Yeah it's a bit of both but there's quite some societies which were educated and turned uncivilized or where you have an educated elite that's not really civilized/interested in civilising. Meanwhile pretty much all civilized populations end up educating people,I don't think I've seen a counter example.
It's a lot easier to educate a decent portion of society than create a society that's civilized as a whole. And I think the latter is more important for keeping things running long term which is grim.
cs702 · · focus · HN ↗
Is it possible to have a civilization that works well, with institutions that work well, if the population is poorly educated?
Sigh.
boelboel · · focus · HN ↗
cs702 · · focus · HN ↗
Educated people make societies more civilized, and they in turn invest to educate more people.
Unless there's a catastrophe. In that case all bets are off.
boelboel · · focus · HN ↗
It's a lot easier to educate a decent portion of society than create a society that's civilized as a whole. And I think the latter is more important for keeping things running long term which is grim.