The Damage of Formal Education

Education starts early and takes up the most formative years of our lives. So there’s no denying how much it can make or break us.

You might have been fortunate enough to be put in a school that suits you and the paths you’re meant to take or choose from, promoting the acceptance and development of your unique gifts and talents while accommodating your learning styles. Or at least close enough so that it is still more beneficial than detrimental to your particular self. But quite often, this isn’t the case. You still get out of it with something. But at what cost?

If it was bad enough, you might have to spend more years unlearning and relearning to undo the damage and actually begin fostering your potential, falling “behind” your peers in reaching the established life milestones. But going “out of your way” and doing this “extra” work might not even be optional. It might be so essential to your growth that you would fail to function without it, as if constantly sabotaging any progress.

So what could have been impaired exactly? There are aspects of how we operate that are relevant to your abilities to make art and more that were possibly discouraged or even punished. If not just not incentivized enough. 

• Uniformity over individuality. How dare you be different? Even in the slightest.

• Interdependence vs. Independence. Either work with others or by yourself completely, no matter when and where it is or is not convenient.

• Approval & Validation. But only seek theirs. Only theirs matter. Your own? Pfft. A more qualified outsider’s? Offensive!

• Critical & Creative Thinking. Questioning and doing it your way? You’re not supposed to do that.

• Imagination & Sensitivity. Just trouble. You’re not paying enough attention or you’re paying too much of it.

• Manners over rightness. Who cares about what’s right? That’s rude. Be nice.

• Procedures over effectiveness. Who cares about what’s effective? That’s disruptive. Be compliant.

• Fighting. Not allowed. Regardless of who started it, why or how. It’s problematic.

Looking at these and further pondering them, you could see more of how you or (if you were spared) other students were held back. Granted, a school is merely a school and, no matter how prestigious, cannot always work perfect miracles for each and every attendee. But it’s still a fact that many barely take into account one’s best interests. And also leave out subjects that would help you more.

CREDIT: AI-Generated Examples done on Leonardo.AI