Why Did I Have To Learn So Many Useless Things In School?

[Road Runner]

Well this thread explains a lot. Maybe instead of reading fantasy you should actually feed your brain and become a well rounded educated individual.

No thanks.

 

[evenflow1969]

No thanks.

That's sad. There is joy in knowledge and using it. There are infinitely many things you can do and experience. Many of them quite pleasant.

 

[Indeependent]

We are absolutely failing in the STEM fields, but we, as a country, have never made them a priority in education. The entire public high school model needs revision, to be sure, but we have the best (and most expensive) universities on the planet, and between 65 to 70% of Masters and PhD students are foreign students.

What we need to change, first and foremost, is the cost of higher education. If a kid cannot afford college, will he or she really give a shit about what they learn in H.S.?

We are absolutely not failing in the STEM fields.
Amazon and Apple hire US citizens and are kicking the shit out of MS, IBM, etc... that hire the supposed Best & Brightest from that shithole India.

 

[Indeependent]

That I never even use in my lifetime anyways? Like I remember some of the US presidents, but how is that going to help me get a job or anything? That's just one example. It's just as well I only paid attention enough to get by school and deleted all of the brain clutter out of my mind later on.

Check out Reuters, AP News and BCC everyday for a few minutes and you'll see, as the years go by, how history and personalities are relevant to your life.

 

[Gracie]

Homemaking. WTF? Why the fuck do I need to learn to sew from a pattern or cook a meal? I could do that on my own.

PE. Again, WTF? If I wanted to run, I would run around the block. Oh. Wait. I did. Often. And beyond. Sports? Not interested, but I did kick ass on the uneven bars, shot put, swimming team and track. Still..I got lots of F grades cuz the two female teachers were dykes and I refused to shower in front of them.

Liked History, Science to some extent, hated math but did learn the basics, typing, some english where I excelled in the spelling bees. In general...you learn. Keep remembering the things you were taught (basic), forget the rest.

 

[hjmick]

Why?

Trivial Pursuit...

 

[Indeependent]

Homemaking. WTF? Why the fuck do I need to learn to sew from a pattern or cook a meal? I could do that on my own.

PE. Again, WTF? If I wanted to run, I would run around the block. Oh. Wait. I did. Often. And beyond. Sports? Not interested, but I did kick ass on the uneven bars, shot put, and track. Still..I got lots of F grades cuz the two female teachers were dykes and I refused to shower in front of them.

Liked History, Science to some extent, hated math but did learn the basics, typing, some english where I excelled in the spelling bees. In general...you learn. Keep remembering the things you were taught (basic), forget the rest.

High School should teach about income and expenses.

 

[Road Runner]

Check out Reuters, AP News and BCC everyday for a few minutes and you'll see, as the years go by, how history and personalities are relevant to your life.

Oh, I realize that we have to know some history, or at least it's good to know. However, US presidents is more along the lines of Social Studies, not history.

 

[Indeependent]

Oh, I realize that we have to know some history, or at least it's good to know. However, US presidents is more along the lines of Social Studies, not history.

History is steered by those in power and by those who control those who are supposedly in power.
The majority of Presidents simply happened to be tools in the right place at the right time.

 

[Road Runner]

History is steered by those in power and by those who control those who are supposedly in power.
The majority of Presidents simply happened to be tools in the right place at the right time.

Yeah, but why do we have to know all of their names and what president number they were? Who cares that much about it? Nobody will know or care if it doesn't come up in conversation that you don't know who they all are. Even the few I remember I just remember their names and not a whole lot about them and that hasn't impacted me at all.

 

[Indeependent]

Yeah, but why do we have to know all of their names and what president number they were? Who cares that much about it? Nobody will know or care if it doesn't come up in conversation that you don't know who they all are. Even the few I remember I just remember their names and not a whole lot about them and that hasn't impacted me at all.

It's like memorizing a bunch of mathematical formulas that took a whole bunch of individuals a lifetime to accidently come upon.
The US educational system is meant to build the pyramid of our society.
Many inventors sucked at memorization but had the drive to try something thousands of times until something worked.
Take Tesla, who was ripped off by that scumbag Thomas Edison.

 

[Road Runner]

It's like memorizing a bunch of mathematical formulas that took a whole bunch of individuals a lifetime to accidently come upon.

Well that doesn't mean much to me. I don't know that high of math because I was in special education classes and I was never even taught those kinds of things.

 

[Indeependent]

Well that doesn't mean much to me. I don't know that high of math because I was in special education classes and I was never even taught those kinds of things.

Don't fret as at least 50% of people suck at math.
God gave us smart devices to humble the obnoxious.

 

[ClaireH]

I flunked Biology 55 years ago, because I couldn't cut open a frog.


and in those 55 years, I have yet to find a need to cut open a frog.

Good for you WHTW! I refused to cut that same frog open, well more like a distant cousin! No way was I going to do it, along with my class partner. We both got D’s but I don’t remember why it wasn’t an F- lol

 

[ClaireH]

That I never even use in my lifetime anyways? Like I remember some of the US presidents, but how is that going to help me get a job or anything? That's just one example. It's just as well I only paid attention enough to get by school and deleted all of the brain clutter out of my mind later on.

According to studies, some of that useless information still helped train our brains in the way that it built deeper connections. Similar to doing algebra. A lot of people will never use any type of algebra during their lifetimes, but still have some brain benefit from practicing developing new brain connections, electrons firing and all of that. Kind of like a gymnastics exercise that exercises our brain, even though we might not ever again use that specific skill it’s still enhances our thought patterns.

 

[BlindBoo]

Good for you WHTW! I refused to cut that same frog open, well qmore like a distant cousin! No way was I going to do it, along with my class partner. We both got D’s but I don’t remember why it wasn’t an F- lol

I think there would be a lot more vegetarians if you had to kill the animal that you wanted to eat.

 

[Road Runner]

Don't fret as at least 50% of people suck at math.
God gave us smart devices to humble the obnoxious.

Wait a second,.. you're not saying I'm obnoxious are you? And I'm better at math then I used to be, but yeah it was never a strong subject for me which isn't good,.. because math is something that you actually need.

 

[playtime]

Similar to doing algebra. A lot of people will never use any type of algebra during their lifetimes,

i hate algebra. i simply cannot understand why numbers AND letters need to go together. at all in math. letters are for spelling & numbers are for math. i'm really good at arithmetic & enjoy do that kinda math - i'm good with fractions & figuring out percentages, too but that's it. & never needed algrebra in my life at all.

 

[ClaireH]

According to studies, some of that useless information still helped train our brains in the way that it built deeper connections. Similar to doing algebra. A lot of people will never use any type of algebra during their lifetimes, but still have some brain benefit from practicing developing new brain connections, electrons firing and all of that. Kind of like a gymnastics exercise that exercises our brain, even though we might not ever again use that specific skill it’s still enhances our thought patterns.

How does one determine what they’re going to need to know?

I can tell you one skill a lot of high school kids are coming up short about: percentages, what is 30% off of say $60.00, how to give change when the bill is $17.35 and the customer gave you a $20.00. There are seriously so many young adults who cannot figure that out without using a calculator. As far as balancing a checking account and using a checkbook? Well let’s just say it’s a good thing it’s all done online now at the banks so individuals don’t have to track it personally. I’ll be honest here, I hate those old checkbooks and I’m glad everything’s online now! Lol

 

[playtime]

what is 30% off of say $60.00,

$18

how to give change when the bill is $17.35 and the customer gave you a $20.00.

$2.65