[MD] Value and the Individual

[Platt Holden]

> Before this thread fades away, I would like to summarize: 
> 1)  The value of uniform standards of education (which
> tend to equalize the education of everyone) vs.
> the value of minimum standards (which tends to promote
> variety & innovation in education).
> 
> 2) The value of government monopoly of education vs.
> the value of choice between competing schools. 
> 
> 3) The value of general funding of education (which
> tends to redistribute wealth) vs.
> the value of funding by education users (which tends to
> counteract overpopulation & better match cost/benefit).
> CAUTION: In a society where most low-income families
> did not have children & the rest had only small families,
> while wealthier families were large, it could result in the
> poor subsidizing the education of the wealthy.  In fact,
> such subsidy could keep the poor being poor.
> 
> 4) The value having a public educational system without
> vouchers, placing the full burden of private education on
> those who choose it vs.
> the value of having a voucher system where those who
> choose a private education pay only the marginal cost
> (if any).
> 
> 5) The value of having the whole society responsibility for
> education vs.
> the value of not having people dependent on the government.
> 
> At bottom I think there is a difference in values between those
> who believe we are obligated to make the world a better place
> (or at least not worse) vs.
> those who believe we are normally only obligated by our
> voluntary actions.

Excellent summary. Your last point is especially insightful. Those who 
believe it is their duty to make the the world a better place are 
responsible for many crimes against humanity. Making the world a better 
place is the appeal of such collectivist systems as Communism, Nazism and 
radical Islam.

Inevitably those whose goal is to make the world a better place can 
accomplish it by forcing others at the point of a gun to bend to their 
will. Armed with the righteousness of their cause, they have no hesitation 
in eliminating opposition. Thus we had the deliberate starvation of 
millions under Stalin, the Holocaust under Hitler, and terrorist killings 
under Bin Laden to name but a few of the horrors perpetrated in the name of 
the "public good." 

Unfortunately, the lessons of history are lost on many of today's young. 
Government schools have indoctrinated them into believing that government 
is beneficent and exists only to "help" while private corporations engaged
in producing goods and services that actually improve the quality of life 
are evil profiteers. The tragedy is that so many believe the propaganda. 

Thanks for shining the light of day on the values and underlying 
assumptions in the education discussion.  

Platt