A Brief Review: The Case Against Education by Bryan Caplan

The book is well organized, well researched, and a quick read... if you already believe in the argument:
At least 30% of the value of school (if not far more) is in signalling that you are intelligent, can work hard, and can conform.

If you too have already arrived at that conclusion as many unschooling parents have, this book holds two values. One, to act as a balm for your battered alternative education soul. Two, to provide statistical research to argue your alternative education views.

Sadly, the chances of the book spurring real change in our world, which I strongly believe it should are small. We would all benefit greatly from changing education to be less about signalling. However, trusting our fellow citizens to go along rather than take the chance to signal louder is a hard risk to take.

I'll point out one of my own college classes as an anecdotal example. One professor offered a linear curve which when extended to a highest grade of 0% would guarantee everyone a perfect score. All we had to do is just not show up for the test in unison. No one even proposed we try. The trust between students was, (sadly correctly I feel), that low. Offered the greatest returns, we didn't trust our classmates to go along.

The quality of the writing makes this a quick and entertaining body of information to consume if you're so inclined.

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