How do we slay the dragon?

[Whateverist]

We're fucked.

We might well be because humans are just apes playing with dangerous toys which some science specialists have invented for us.

If our technological civilisation collapsed tomorrow who would be the most useful people to have around?

1: Theoretical physcisists
2: Craftsmen and women whose skills are now relegated to hobby activities such as spinning, weaving, woodworking and basket making.
3: Hands-on archaeologists who have learned how to make primitive forges for metal working and useful tools from flint and obsidian
4: Primitive tribes who could teach everyone how to survive by hunter/gathering and subsistence farming

Seemingly 4, but that would require our numbers to shrink tremendously. Skills for surviving in a state of nature would only be useful if the web of life were sufficiently robust enough to sustain us. We've done a lot to cut that web out from under ourselves. So retreat from specialization may not be an option. Therefore, fucked.

Popular culture doesn't value academics or reflection. I see very little reason for hope. Certainly there is no evolutionary vehicle for selecting for smarter.

I found a very interesting video by Ken Robinson

Sir Kenneth Robinson (born 4 March 1950) is an English author, speaker, and international advisor on education in the arts to government, non-profits, education, and arts bodies. He was Director of The Arts in Schools Project (1985–89), Professor of Arts Education at the University of Warwick (1989–2001), and was knighted in 2003 for services to education.

His point is that modern education stifles creativity because academic achievement has come to dominate our ideas of intelligence. It's real purpose is to turn out university professors. He's a very entertaining speaker so his talk isn't boring to listen to.

Not boring at all. Highly entertaining in fact. Good point about making sure the concept of 'smart' we work from (or toward) isn't too limited.

So does anyone think we can educate our way to smarter/ more creative? Of course, if you listen to what he says on that video, education has become too narrow. More a force for shutting down creativity than for developing it. Speaking as someone inside the system, I have to doubt it. Accountability and the rest of the business approach to education will not get you there.