Look, while I'm very happy that I got an education, and I very much value the opportunity to have a job that relies on my abilities that are based on my education and intelligence (i.e. my geekiness), I'm beginning to have my doubts about the value of our pro-geek culture.
Let me put it this way, if I was in school, and struggling with math, and everyone around me was telling me that I needed to be good at math, I'm going to look for alternatives. Right now the alternatives are looking less and less appealing all the time. Do I really want to become a fast food worker who goes to church and is forever in debt? Fast food workers are starting to unite to insist that their value to society be recognized... but other articles are very dismissive of this value, and insist that such movements may start to disrupt the system.
So, lets consider that, while education and critical thinking are valuable, they may not be best for everyone, how do we ensure that other strengths are valued in society, and people who do not excel at education or critical thinking, are allowed, and valued for, their ability to contribute to society in other ways? How do we make sure that the value we put on fast food workers, is truly reflective of their value to society when compared to the value of an executive?
While I don't have any magic bullet solutions, this is a critical topic for the left and central political movements to consider, as it has become a dividing issue between the right and the left. It is imperative for a progressive movement to make sure there is room for those who don't want to educate themselves any further, who want to belong to a community that helps them discern between right and wrong, and who are hard working, and valuable members of our society, whether or not they have a post-secondary education. The progressive left needs a coherent and simple enough rhetoric that anyone can feel comfortable that they are joining a moral group that is representing their concerns.
