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Originally Posted by CommanderRachek
A number of people have kindly informed me that if I were to return to this thread in five years or so, that I would be shocked to read what I have written here, and will no doubt shake my grizzled old head at what a fool I used to be. This remains to be seen. The truth or untruth of this assertion notwithstanding, I find it rather insulting on a few levels:
1) It implies, or rather states, that because I am but 18 years old, I am thoughtless and ill informed.
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No, it only points out the obvious, that you have less experience than those older than you.
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2) It implies/states that what thoughts I do have are shallow, indistinct, and foolish.
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No, simply that your thoughts and opinions are based on your experience to date.
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3) It implies/states that people who are 23 years old are obviously much more mature/well-informed/thoughtful than I am.
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Not at all. I know many 23-year-olds who are less responsible and mature than high school students, because they have not taken advantage of their circumstances and opportunities. However, many 23-year-olds are more mature than they were at 18, because they have continued to have experiences, have continued to take advantage of the opportunities offered to them, and have continued to learn.
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I contend that I have given this particular subject a lot of thought in the last several years, and that having nearly completed thirteen years of public schooling (including kindergarten), I am as well informed on the topic as anyone else.
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You are probably as well informed on the topics as anyone else who is in high school, and quite possibly more than most. Still, you do not know how your opinions on education today will serve you in your future. The advice being given to you in this thead is to not discard the opportunities you have now, because you never know if you will need the knowledge and experience in the future.
If your formal education, your school, your teachers, your counsellors and your administrators have failed you so far, that is a shame. The taxpayers in your community and state are not getting their values worth, and neither are you. There is no one best way to learn. However to say that because they are not teaching you in the manner best suited to you, so you are going to throw it all away, is short-sighted. There may be a time in the future that you wish you had better grades in high school, grades that you admit you could achieve if you only played their game. If you do not take advantage of what has been given you today, you can not retrieve it in the future.