You're not Elon Musk – an unschooler's double standard
Well, that was a bit anti-climatic. Of course you're not, how could you be?
Perhaps a better title for this would've been 'There ain't no guarantees', I must admit I toyed with that one too, for a bit. But then, maybe you wouldn't have clicked on this post.
Which means that at some point, you've wondered about being Elon Musk, too. You wanted to know why I don't think you are him, otherwise you wouldn't have clicked on this, would you?
Exactly.
So, let me explain how I came to this revolutionary conclusion and why it took me almost 19 years to do so.
I was scrolling on my Facebook feed (yes, shoot me) and came across this inspirational quote by the man himself.
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Now, I couldn't help but nod my head and go 'yeah'. I've been saying this 'schooling ain't education' for years; it's something I stand by fully. It's a very important belief of mine.
So, what you're supposed to understand from this quote is that education is not necessary for a fulfilling career (a bit of an understatement, I know). You don't need to go to Harvard, in order to succeed, which is great, because...let's be honest, how many of us do actually get into Harvard?
A very few, and that's being kind about it. The large majority of people don't. We go to universities considered “inferior”, if any. I, for example, am not going to any university. And I don't plan to. The whole unschooling thing, you know?
So, naturally, when I come across a quote like this one, I fall for it. It's a logical reaction, because we're all riddled with self-doubt. You don't know you're doing the right thing, so anyone who's done the same and succeeded. We're even happy to see someone who is successful agree with us (Musk himself went to three universities, so...). It makes us feel powerful, it gives us the illusion that we are correct.
But that's just what it is – an illusion.
As I read this quote and thought it over, I came to the before-mentioned conclusion – Yeah, but you're not Elon Musk.
I don't know if that's good or bad, but bottom line is – I'm not. Nobody is. You're not, either, don't kid yourself. We ain't Bill Gates, either, or any other rich dude you care to name.
You're you, I'm me, and so on.
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There ain't no guarantees
I've seen a lot of unschoolers use the “excuse” of famous people – Bill Gates,Walt Disney, Albert Einstein...they all dropped out from high school. Ergo, they didn't need formal education to become successful, to do genius things.
You've surely seen the extremely touching story about how Thomas Edison was kicked out of school for being stupid and then went on to...well, become Edison.
So who cares that Bill Gates didn't drop out of high school, but of Harvard (popular misconception)? So what if Einstein dropped out only to go back to school?
Who cares, if we've proved our precious point – that you don't need to go to school to be a genius and do great things?
Now, I'm the first person to argue that you don't need that, that you can do great things without going to school, that kids learn by default, etc.
Which proves just how much of a hypocrite I am.
I know, I'm aware of that now. I realized that I am guilty of a double-standard, as soon as I realized I'm not Elon Musk.
We lie, when it suits us. Just like everyone...
What do I mean when I say it's a double standard? Well, easy – we use the example of famous rich people, when it suits. I can use the name of Edison to show that you don't need school, and I see that as a very valid example. An undeniable proof that you can succeed without traditional schooling.
And you can.
But when someone within the system – a parent or a student – argues that you do need school and university to become succesful, we quickly dismiss that by saying it's not true. That a lot of people with degrees are homeless or serve at McDonalds, so a degree doesn't guarantee a successful future.
What we ignore is that not having a degree doesn't guarantee anything either.
You can fail with or without a degree. There are Elon Musks who have come out of both systems, and there are bums who have come out of both systems.
You can't have a guarantee.
So stop looking for one. This shows weakness and fear. Just because someone else pulled through similar circumstances doesn't mean you will, too. So, stop telling yourself you're right just because someone else did well.
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You are YOU. Dare to face the unkown.
You might succeed. Or you might not. Learn to take anything with a pinch of salt and to always be your greatest supporter and your greatest DOUBTER.
Be honest with yourself – there's a 50/50 chance between winning and losing and the only one who can sway that balance is you.
I found myself doing this last night! "Churchill was home educated too!" I said to my unschooled 10 year old [in a moment of what was a kind of schooliness in itself!] My husband guffawed and pointed out it was because he lived in a huge stately home with tutors. I defended the home education "He could have been sent off to Eton or somewhere at age 7 like so many rich peoples kids, but no, he was home educated. It's still home educated!"
What a ton of bollocks I was talking :-D haha.
We do it to defend our decisions, to reassure ourselves about out decisions, to deflect or dilute or antidote all the times our kids have heard people say that because they don't go to school they must/will be dumb ... all the times an extended family member has surreptitiously tested them on telling the time or telling a times table.
We do it to buffer their self esteem and our self esteem.
Meanwhile, you are right. Neither inside nor outside the system are there any guarantees and people will succeed or fail according to how much they believe they will do one or the other and how much effort they put into it.
Meanwhile, some of them will 'succeed' by having unexceptional and relaxing lives and others will 'succeed' by doing something someone else makes note of.
Exactly, it's extremely comforting to have that buffer, whatever it is - we (humans, not unschoolers :D ) will often grab unto anything that sounds even mildly reassuring, just to think we're not alone, that we are safe.
That is so true, it's all up to you. Whatever you want to get out of life, it all depends on you and a lot of people seem to ignore that, which I really don't get 'cause they're wasting their life. You have to work for it.
We all do.
Ain’t that the truth? 💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻
Just looking at it from another angle entirely. Be proud you're not Elon Musk. There is some evidence that he may be just a con man. Be proud you're not Bill Gates. I understand he supports eugenics and promotes vaccinations.
Oh, I am, I am :D I don't think being Elon Musk is necessarily a good thing and I wouldn't want to be Bill Gates (I've heard those things too). So, I am proud I'm not them. But these people are very rich and powerful and regarded as successful in our modern world, that's what I was getting at. They have impressive (well, depends on your understanding of the word, but to the large majority, they are impressive) careers and are fabulously wealthy, so they're not worried about making a living.
'Cause that's what school is supposed to do, in all honesty, get you able to make money.
Well, maybe they sell it as being what you need to do to be wealthy, but I imagine we both agree it's really to mold kids into being malleable citizens. The other day I was thinking about the old names for the different classes in NZ (before they changed it to just Years 1 to 13). Two years in the primers (pronounced primmers) - are they priming you for the next steps? Four years in the standards - maybe learning the standards we're expected to adhere to. Then 7 forms - forming us into model citizens?
Totally agree - that is exactly what they want, to get malleable citizens who obey their rules. That's exactly what I am saying, you're told to look up to these people, although you shouldn't and most people do, at the very least, agree that these people are well off, so they've got something going for them.
Good & very cool