But I don't even know Swahili!

[redbird]

Someone over on alt.poly is calling various people who have been disagreeing with her and asking her to share the responsibility for writing understandably (rather than demanding that we read her mind instead of her words) "over-educated". I can't possibly be over-educated: I don't understand quantum mechanics, know almost no African history, and don't know Swahili or Chinese or any of the language of Papua New Guinea. I've never read Proust or Milton, and I don't know the infield-fly rule or how to knit a sweater.

How can anyone since Gutenberg be over-educated, when there's so much to know and so little time to learn it all?

Edit: I strongly recommend the discussion in wild_irises' journal that grew out of this: http://www.livejournal.com/users/wild_irises/3407.html?view=19791#t19791

Comments

[redbird]

Thank you! I haven't even had my first cup of tea, and I've already learned something. This should be a good day.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

A kid came into my classroom yesterday with her parent, who told me, "She says she's decided not to learn anything all day." (It's a play-based curriculum, but she likes to tease like that.)

Throughout the day, she'd do something that involved learning, from asking, "Does your dog like kids?" to having a story read to her, and I joked, "Ack, stop it! You're learning!" At one point, she said, "I have cranberry juice in my lunch because I'm sick and it helps." I asked, "Bladder infection?" and she nodded. That was all.

Halfway through the day, she had me jot down a note for the parent: "Dear Dad. Today I learned about bladder infections and how to read."