Item — HN Reader

Why don't we use the [History|English Lit.|Chemistry|etc.] that we learn in school?

As a generality, isn't the math taught to most teens in public schools aimed pretty squarely at preparing them to take the standard calculus courses in their first couple years of college? If so, hardly surprising that most ex-students don't notice much use for that stuff in the real world.

And since the social function of that is usually to demonstrate that you're determined / focused / upper-class enough to successfully slog your way through it - gee, what would be the point to remembering or using it after getting your "made it through" bragging rights?

1 comments

English is critically important to help you understand complex written works and to write in a way that is clear and doesn't make you look dumb. Advanced chemistry might be useless, but basic chemistry/physics is useful. And I feel that people would understand what they are doing a lot more if they understood physics a little better. For example a lot of people think a cone makes amplifies noise rather than understanding that it simply directs them in to a smaller space. Chemistry helps you understand why oils stick to your hands and don't wash off until you use soap.

Basic math is very useful but highschools go so far off basic math that they teach massive amounts of seemingly useless stuff.