12 lies about life that school/college made us believe
A thread...
A thread...
Lie 1:
Everyone should have the same pace of learning.
When you make students sit in a class, with a curriculum that has to get over in a year, before everyone is promoted to the next year, you tell everyone "learn at the same pace".
Everyone should have the same pace of learning.
When you make students sit in a class, with a curriculum that has to get over in a year, before everyone is promoted to the next year, you tell everyone "learn at the same pace".
The standardization forced the fast ones to slow down, and convinced the slow ones that they are dumb!
The truth is - everyone learns at a different pace.
That doesn't make them poor or better learners.
It simply makes them different learners.
The truth is - everyone learns at a different pace.
That doesn't make them poor or better learners.
It simply makes them different learners.
Lie 2:
Answers matter more than questions.
Every class would invariably have the instructor ask "what's the answer?"
Rarely, if at all, would we hear, "What could be a good question to ask, to understand this better?"
Answers matter more than questions.
Every class would invariably have the instructor ask "what's the answer?"
Rarely, if at all, would we hear, "What could be a good question to ask, to understand this better?"
So we came to believe that looking for answers to every problem, is the only way to approach a problem
The truth is - questions help us answer problems.
When we ask the right ones, we find ways of asking even better questions.
The truth is - questions help us answer problems.
When we ask the right ones, we find ways of asking even better questions.
Lie 3:
If someone asks questions, they must be dumb.
I recall so many occasions where the instructor shot down a student by saying, "that's a stupid question. what did you not understand?"
Till today, we hesitate to ask questions, b/c we fear the reprimand we might experience.
If someone asks questions, they must be dumb.
I recall so many occasions where the instructor shot down a student by saying, "that's a stupid question. what did you not understand?"
Till today, we hesitate to ask questions, b/c we fear the reprimand we might experience.
Lie 4:
There are only right answers. And every question just has one.
Examinations trained us to reply as a herd.
They trained us to believe that every question has just that one answer.
Every other nuance is not acceptable.
In fact, every other nuance is wrong.
There are only right answers. And every question just has one.
Examinations trained us to reply as a herd.
They trained us to believe that every question has just that one answer.
Every other nuance is not acceptable.
In fact, every other nuance is wrong.
The truth is, the world is full of nuances.
There are no right answers in real life.
There are possibilities.
And there are attached probabilities.
There are no right answers in real life.
There are possibilities.
And there are attached probabilities.
Lie 5:
Intelligence is a ranking
The one who scored 91% is smarter than the one who scored 90%.
The one who scored 32% has "failed" in their job, while the one scoring 35% has "passed".
We were all convinced that smartness, intelligence, even hard work is a ranking!
Intelligence is a ranking
The one who scored 91% is smarter than the one who scored 90%.
The one who scored 32% has "failed" in their job, while the one scoring 35% has "passed".
We were all convinced that smartness, intelligence, even hard work is a ranking!
Lie 6:
Play life with a template
There are templates for everything.
Uniform is a template.
The resume is a template.
The exam is a template.
The applications are a template.
Someone has laid down the rules, much before you came.
Follow that template.
And you'll be ok.
Play life with a template
There are templates for everything.
Uniform is a template.
The resume is a template.
The exam is a template.
The applications are a template.
Someone has laid down the rules, much before you came.
Follow that template.
And you'll be ok.
The world does not need another template.
It needs another rebel.
It needs another rebel.
Lie 7:
What you remember equals what you know
Our exams were not a test of our understanding.
They were a test of our memory.
Not even memory.
They were a test of our ability to intake information and vomit it in out, on a stipulated day, within a stipulated time period.
What you remember equals what you know
Our exams were not a test of our understanding.
They were a test of our memory.
Not even memory.
They were a test of our ability to intake information and vomit it in out, on a stipulated day, within a stipulated time period.
What you remember means nothing if you do not understand what you remember.
Lie 8:
Education is a phase we need to get done with, as quickly as possible.
Finish you school fast.
Don't drop any year.
Get into a good college.
Finish that fast.
Do your master's right after that.
Because then you will be "done" with education and start your life.
Education is a phase we need to get done with, as quickly as possible.
Finish you school fast.
Don't drop any year.
Get into a good college.
Finish that fast.
Do your master's right after that.
Because then you will be "done" with education and start your life.
Some stopped learning after college.
Some started learning after college.
The world will belong to those who never stop being a student.
Some started learning after college.
The world will belong to those who never stop being a student.
Lie 9:
Teaching is a professor for losers.
Because most of our teachers were uninspiring, boring, low on energy, strict and emotionless, we grew up to believe that teaching is the last profession for the ambitious.
It is a profession for those who do not have any other option.
Teaching is a professor for losers.
Because most of our teachers were uninspiring, boring, low on energy, strict and emotionless, we grew up to believe that teaching is the last profession for the ambitious.
It is a profession for those who do not have any other option.
The right teacher can change your life, forever.
But you will only know, if you ever had one!
But you will only know, if you ever had one!
Lie 10:
An exam will determine your worth and how well you do in life
Made it to IIT? Welcome to success.
Didn't clear your CA? No room for losers here.
Couldn't become a doctor? Worthless.
Got into the top law school? Smart you :)
An exam will determine your worth and how well you do in life
Made it to IIT? Welcome to success.
Didn't clear your CA? No room for losers here.
Couldn't become a doctor? Worthless.
Got into the top law school? Smart you :)
It is crazy how many of us are made to feel worthless because of how poorly we fare in our exams.
We are bigger than a 3-hour question and answer session!
We are bigger than a 3-hour question and answer session!
Lie 11:
We should all know what we want to do in life, really early on.
In Class 11 - decide from 3 choices.
After 12 - decide on 1 thing.
And then stick to that for the rest of your life.
If you do not know what you want to do, then you will be left behind.
We should all know what we want to do in life, really early on.
In Class 11 - decide from 3 choices.
After 12 - decide on 1 thing.
And then stick to that for the rest of your life.
If you do not know what you want to do, then you will be left behind.
School and college do their best to contain us.
We have to do our best to liberate us.
Explore. Do not settle.
Not that early.
We have to do our best to liberate us.
Explore. Do not settle.
Not that early.
Lie 12:
Your first job after college, determines your entire life.
Didn't get through the top companies? Ouch!
Didn't make it to the average salary? Ouch!
Didn't even get a job? OUCH!
Dropping out to take a gap year and figure what you wan to do? OUCH OUCH OUCH!
Your first job after college, determines your entire life.
Didn't get through the top companies? Ouch!
Didn't make it to the average salary? Ouch!
Didn't even get a job? OUCH!
Dropping out to take a gap year and figure what you wan to do? OUCH OUCH OUCH!
Your first job, first title, first company, first salary, first industry - will not determine the rest of your professional life.
If anything, it will tell you, what is it that you value. And what is it that you thought you valued, but figured you don't.
If anything, it will tell you, what is it that you value. And what is it that you thought you valued, but figured you don't.
School and college can either set you up for life.
Or set you back in life.
Depending on the choices you make.
If you submit to them, their templates and their ideas, you might become yet another victim of standardization, that aims to make everyone look the same.
Or set you back in life.
Depending on the choices you make.
If you submit to them, their templates and their ideas, you might become yet another victim of standardization, that aims to make everyone look the same.
Instead, if you use them as a platform to explore, to discover, to question, to engage, to ask, to challenge - you will build a way to think about the world.
For the longest time, school was a drag for me.
Until my class teaches in 11th changed my life.
She encouraged me, supported me, trusted me - and that made me trust myself.
I dabbled in so many different activities that allowed me to understand myself.
Until my class teaches in 11th changed my life.
She encouraged me, supported me, trusted me - and that made me trust myself.
I dabbled in so many different activities that allowed me to understand myself.
In college, I spent time with people who were nothing like me - gaining a different perspective about the world.
I participated in competitions where I had no hope of winning, stood on stage trembling, wrote cold emails, did internships.
I faced my fears.
I participated in competitions where I had no hope of winning, stood on stage trembling, wrote cold emails, did internships.
I faced my fears.
And I would wish the same for everyone.
School and college are one of the worst products for just an "education".
But could be the best products for an "experience".
School and college are one of the worst products for just an "education".
But could be the best products for an "experience".
School and college did the best they could to convince us of these lies.
You do your best to build your own truths.
You do your best to build your own truths.
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https://twitter.com/warikoo/status/1451428636431552516?s=20
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