The point of education is .... Well, here's a more fun way to say most of the stuff I wanted to say about that idea: There was a great article on Salon today about the lurid but undeniable appeal of bacon. (Cue Homer Simpson: "Bacon, ahgglle, ahggle, ahggle.") The article is tons o' fun and includes links to other bacon-related sites (also lurid but fascinating in a train-wreck sort of way), but what makes it useful is its internal allusions that you just wouldn't GET if you were not a reasonably well-educated person. Phrases like "vast flyover" and "gateway protein," vocabulary like "aphrodisiac," "hedonism" and "herbivore," plus cultural referents from Betty v Veronica to Paula Deen -- yes, anyone could read this piece if reading is simply decoding, but if "read" means something more, if it means making connections and constructing meaning, then you need a lot of background info to read this relatively fluffy piece on pork.
Imagine how much more cultural / historical / literary savvy you need to read hard news or deconstruct campaign promises. It's not about getting a job; it's about understanding the world and being able to act in the world.
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