Why Does Education Matter?
Why does education matter? “Why should I care about the elasticity of markets? Who cares about ancient Rome? When does this class end…,” thinks every student at some point along their high school career. It seems like no one understands the importance of a quality education, which to me, is a concerning thought.
Market elasticity allows you to understand what makes the price of gas go up, but more importantly, how to save and invest for the future. If you don’t understand the history of Rome, you’ll never understand how similar it is to the United States today, but more importantly, how the nation collapsed from the inside out.
Bjorn Lomborg, author of How to spend $50 Billion to Make the World a Better Place, showed that investing in the education of those living in third-world countries not only increases their academic performance, but improves their socioeconomic outcomes as well. As a result, they lead a more productive life, and continue to benefit their communities well into the future.
This week I asked myself a crucial question: “Why am I writing these articles?” Here’s the answer. For me, writing and thinking are practically the same thing. It gives me an outlet to come up with new ideas, explore the thoughts of others, and to gain an understand of the world around me, each day. Writing can be an adventure. But learning to write clearly requires an education.
The most influential people in American history plea time and time again how important a great education actually is. Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., etc. all take the same position on this issue: education is the single best investment that any society can make.
But knowledge alone is not enough. Practical application of the topics we are taught is just as important as the subject itself. Consider the medical field, specifically emergency medicine. None of the information taught in medical school valuable unless it saves someone’s life.
The value in education comes down to one determining factor: you. What do you choose to do with the education you’ve received? At some point, each of us has to make that decision. For some, it means joining the workforce right out of high school. For others, it means going to college. And still for others, it means living on welfare for the next ten years.
“Greatness is not a function of circumstance,” says Jim Collins, “Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.” Our educational institutions give people a choice. They provide discipline for those who choose greatness over goodness. But that comes at a cost: a significant cost.
I believe there’s a reason why college is so expensive. If it was free, then there wouldn’t be any financial sacrifices to make. And as horrible as it sounds, I believe that the sacrifice is justified. I have to decide to abandon my sense of comfort in pursuit of something more meaningful.
And that’s why education matters.