The Self Education of You

By Charles Tolleson
May 6, 2011

This is a paragraph from Wikipedia about the book, “The Education of Henry Adams”. - “The Education is much more a record of Adams's introspection than of his deeds. It is an extended meditation on the social, technological, political, and intellectual changes that occurred over Adams's lifetime. Adams concluded that his traditional education failed to help him come to terms with these rapid changes; hence his need for self-education. The organizing thread of the book is how the "proper" schooling and other aspects of his youth, was time wasted; thus his search for self-education through experiences, friendships, and reading.”

We should wonder about the cost of a college education of the 21st century. One can spend 50 to 100 thousand dollars on a four year college degree, a degree that may or may not get you a job. A college degree just does not have the value it had in the past. College tuition costs have outpaced the inflation rate. The inflation rate from 1986 through 2009 was about 100%, a doubling of costs. During that time period college tuition increased a whopping 400%.
This inflation costs can be attributed to the education’s industry monopoly and lobbying power. During that time student loans have increased which creates more customers but fewer suppliers, thus the suppliers can raise their prices.

I suggest it is time for young people to boycott the education cartels and get an education on their own in real time. A young person should get a job and contribute money to their 401k or IRA instead of money that would have gone for college tuition.

There are many jobs that do not require a college degree. Airline pilot, air traffic controller, ship’s captain, restaurant manager, stock broker, realtor, property manager, plumber, barber, and sales are professions that do not require a college degree. Owning your own small business does not require a college degree but it does provide a good education.

Prison guards do not need any college. They can retire at age 55 with 85% of their final year’s salary and free medical insurance. As a California prison guard, you can make six figures in overtime and bonuses alone.

I know a man who dropped out of high school. He had aced an algebra test but got a failing grade because he had not turned in his homework. The government prison schools do not accept individualism. The man who dropped out of high school is now an airline pilot.

“The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.” Albert Einstein

Teaching is one of the oldest professions on earth. From the time of Socrates and Confucius we have honored the pedagogues. Teaching will not go away, but the methods of teaching will change. People will always want to get into the minds of the young people to mold those minds into the ideologies of those who are convinced their lifestyles are the way all humans should live. Even Socrates was charged with polluting the minds of the youths of Athens. Some day all knowledge will be easily accessible from a chip implemented in the brain or from a mobile multi media device so teaching, like other professions, will change and become less of a profession than today. Even the medical profession will change with home diagnostic kits and robotic surgeries.

William Shakespeare left school when he was 14. Here is a list of great people who did not attend or finish college. The 17th president of the United States, Andrew Johnson, worked most of his childhood as a tailor and did not learn to read and write until as an adult, taught by his wife.

If a young person wants the same as a college education they can do it by reading and practicing from online sources. There are free algebra, history and other courses online. A young person should pursue an education on his or her own time. They should keep a log of the time and subjects they study. After a few years of learning they could write a book about their education, citing the logs and subjects they studied, all the time working full time and contributing to their own retirement. Then the young person should go into politics to promote themselves, their book, and to promote the opportunity to get a real education in the most cost effective way, thus diminishing the power of the education cartel and its ability to pick the ideologies to teach to the next generation of State worshipers.

“The institution of the democratic State is a remarkable example of modern idolatry. By ritually celebrating elections that are played out like a great social mass, the State allows us to participate in a religion that will influence the idol in our favour. If we make the idol an offering of the right ballot, it will bring us security, lifetime employment, a guaranteed pension, free medical care, environmental protection and a good school for our children. All these favours will rain down on us. We will not have to do anything to earn them. What could be more magical than that belief?” Christian Michel

The Execution of Osama Bin Laden

By Charles Tolleson
May 2, 2011

President Obama took the stage, again, to announce the execution of Osama Bin Laden. President Obama said Al Qaeda, with Bin Laden as the leader, had declared war on the United States so the United States killed Bin Laden after searching for him for almost ten years at the expenditure of almost a trillion dollars and the loss of thousands of lives. Thanks to technology, The President and his staff watched the execution live. Humans love to watch violence.

No reason was given for Al Qaeda to declare war on the U.S. Could it be that we have supported tyrants in the Middle East and have supported Israel in her six decades long religious war that some in the Middle East would see us as a co conspirator to oppression?

Al Qaeda, a band of warriors that is no larger than a few hundred, and has no military air force, army or navy, has terrified the most powerful country in the world into giving up much of the citizens’ liberties for the sake of perceived safety from a threat that is minuscule.

Do you think Osama bin Laden would be found guilty of murder by a jury of "HIS" peers after hearing "ALL" the evidence presented by a good defense attorney in an unbiased court? What would a jury think after hearing all of the evidence against the U.S. murdering of innocent people and aiding tyrants. If after hearing the evidence he is found guilty, then, and only then, carry out the sentence. Instead, an unarmed Osama bin Laden was executed, in front of his 12 year old daughter, by a government employee of the United States.

Why do we think Americans,or people like us, are the only people precious enough to deserve a fair trial? If the U.S. is so noble and virtuous, let it lead by example, not force.

Humans are the only animals, besides their cousin the chimpanzee, that enjoys torturing and killing its own kind. Humans are the only animal that has the characteristic that defines sadism.

"If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.” -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet (1807-1882)

One of my favorite movies was "Twelve Angry Men". Eleven members of the jury were passionately convinced a young man accused of murder was guilty. The twelfth man, played by Henry Fonda, argued against a guilty verdict. After much debate the young man was found innocent.

Should not all people have a fair trial when accused of a crime? How many innocent people have been murdered in wars the past nine years by the government mob's hired mercenaries? What's to stop a President from ordering his hit men to murder me, or millions of others, without a trial? Congress certainly will not stop him.

Some are saying the death of Bin Laden will end the war in Afghanistan. The murder of Bin Laden will also make President Obama look good as a leader and increase his chance for re-election in 2012. That’s why he made the announcement instead of having his press secretary make the announcement.

The murder of Bin Laden by U.S. government employees caused a huge celebration by members of the American tribe. They are giddy with hubris and again saying the American Tribe is number one! This idolatry of the State and the use of force will insure there will be plenty of young men who want to join the government mercenaries and claim glory, nice pensions after 20 years, and the wonderful GI Bill that allows dependents to go college.

The murdering of Bin Laden will not change the war on terror. The State will grow more and more powerful with the excuse it is keeping us safe from Al Qaeda, who has emerged with a new and more powerful leader to carry on with the same mission.

I predict the war on terror will not change. I believe more people in the world hate us now than before 9/11. We have killed thousands of innocent people and freedom fighters in the wars of the past 9 years. Those who were killed have left families and friends who want revenge. Just imagine how the families and citizens of the U.S. wanted revenge after 9/11. Those thousands killed in the war on terror by the U.S. have tens of thousands of families and friends who want revenge on the U.S. bully, and they will not rest until they have been avenged. President Obama and the military nation leaders knew there would be aroused anger from the death of Bin Laden, which would lead to more attacks on the U.S. This will insure the sheep will be fearful and will continue to give away their power to the State employees.

"Patriotism is proud of a country's virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their own specific virtues. The pride of nationalism, however, trumpets its country's virtues and denies its deficiencies, while it is contemptuous toward the virtues of other countries. It wants to be, and proclaims itself to be, "the greatest", but greatness is not required of a country; only goodness is." -Sydney J. Harris, journalist and author (1917-1986)