Back to Blog School was designed to manufacture obedient factory workers. The factory closed.
the model is Prussian, circa 1800
bells, rows, standardised tests, age cohorts
it was built to mass-produce compliant workers
that fit an economy that wanted interchangeable parts
the economy now wants taste, agency, and tools-fluency
school still optimises for memorising what AI recalls for free
a degree was a signal. signals inflate.
credential inflation means more debt for less edge
a curious kid with a model can outpace a classroom
the autodidacts are pulling ahead quietly
the institution will be the last to notice it's obsolete
learning to learn is the only durable skill left
Appendix · Further Signal
The Verdict
We're still running factory-era schooling into a post-factory world. The winners won't be the best-credentialed — they'll be the fastest self-teachers with the best tools.
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