Education is a Trap…
Education is a Trap…
“The aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values.” — William S. Burroughs
For centuries, education has been championed as the gateway to success, freedom, and self-betterment. But is it always the liberating force we believe it to be? Or has it, in many ways, become a trap—designed not to elevate but to contain?
The Illusion of Choice
From a young age, we’re placed on a conveyor belt of standardized tests, rigid curriculums, and predetermined “success” metrics. We’re told that good grades will lead to good jobs, and that college is the only path to a meaningful life.
But here’s the catch: the system rarely accommodates individuality.
- Curious minds are forced to conform.
- Creative impulses are boxed in by rubrics.
- Passion is often replaced with performance anxiety.
What we call “education” becomes more about compliance than learning.
Credentialism Over Competence
Degrees have become a form of currency, a ticket into the professional world. But in many industries, competence has been replaced with credentialism. A diploma often weighs more than demonstrated skill or real-world problem-solving ability.
This traps individuals in a cycle:
- Take on student debt to earn a degree.
- Use that degree to get a job that may not align with passions or values.
- Spend decades paying off debt, rarely questioning if the journey was worth it.
Factory Model of Schooling
Let’s be honest: much of modern education still mirrors the industrial-era factory model. Students are grouped by age, taught the same material, tested in the same way, and judged by uniform standards.
This model:
- Rewards obedience over innovation.
- Penalizes failure, even though failure is vital for real learning.
- Conditions us to seek approval from authority rather than from within.
Is it any wonder why so many people leave school without a clear sense of who they are or what they love?
The Hidden Curriculum
Beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic, schools teach an invisible curriculum:
- Conformity over creativity
- Memorization over mastery
- Obedience over questioning
We learn how to sit still, raise hands, follow rules, and suppress emotions. These may be useful in a tightly controlled system—but are they helpful for building a life of freedom and fulfillment?
So, What’s the Alternative?
Education in itself isn’t the enemy. But institutionalized education, in its current form, often is.
What we need instead is:
- Learning that is self-directed and curiosity-driven
- Mentorship over mass instruction
- Real-world experience instead of isolated theory
- Valuing diverse intelligence, not just academic aptitude
Final Thoughts
Calling education a “trap” isn’t an attack on teachers or learning. It’s a call to reexamine a system that has grown bloated, outdated, and misaligned with the needs of real human beings.
True education should set us free, not chain us to debt, self-doubt, or a narrow definition of success.
Let’s dare to question what we’ve been taught about being taught.
What do you think? Is education liberating or limiting? Let’s start the conversation.