Many libertarians like Karl Hess saw in the corporation something that was antithetical to decentralized power. As companies now tend to be less centralized and more competitive in the computer age. Particularly news media, music… even book distribution, editorials, communication alternatives, journals (blogs, too), etc. Does anyone else see the end of big universities as well?
I’ve always seen the end of public schooling coming about as a result of better technology (not just being replaced by private schooling). Perhaps to make it easier to learn, interact, respond, engage in critical thinking. All while not being compulsory, of course. But I find that this intuitive approach would not need compulsion as it would attract young people to things they wish to learn about and probably even learn quicker. The public schools have been updating to new technologies for a long time. Many of them to save paper on big ugly and heavy books. PDF files everywhere in universities (though I’ve always been made to buy books anyway). Costs of computers are going down. I don’t see why in ten years the universities or public schools will need to exist. There is the myth of the “socialization” (which makes statists hate home schooling). But the internet has proven to be a different type of socialization and one that can be used in conjunction with so-called real life socialization. As BK Marcus said recently in his blog, socialization certainly existed before 19th century compulsory schooling. And Tom Woods has said that even the Middle Ages were more intelligent discussion-wise than today.
For those who are in universities now, I don’t think these same people will be obsolete. They will certainly still have something in demand. Demand for intelligent people will not go down. But the ability to protect these people’s profits will go down as their artificially created guild is smashed by this technology. Just like the ending of the insane intellectual property will most likely destroy the music-copyright complex. And it seems a lot of the universities have gotten started with the itunes open universities and other open source projects. But it will most definitely have to stretch beyond that as these universities will have to compete for attention in this advertising method. And I suspect other types of universities could surpass the big ones as useful education institutions. Their monopoly will have to be crushed (not to say no universities deserve their good reputations).
I don’t see the increase in technology rendering universities obsolete, but I do see it changing the face of what it means to attain an education. More than likely it will just broaden the scope of opportunities to gain knowledge and practice in certain industries - not all, however.
My main goals revolve around having public schools no longer need to be compulsory (and I believe this is interlocked with less emphasis on these higher institutions). Not by political influence, but more because people see them as useless in the face of technology. Much in the same way people got sick of the FCC-regulated TVs and went over to the internet which is mostly unregulated and more open source (but surely used in productive “mainstream” ways).
That’s an interesting point. The university system, being far more elective to begin with, might be prone to being “undermined” by individual choice sooner than primary and secondary schools. Already, it looks like the choice to self-educate or to get education through private for-profit schools is on the rise (andectodal evidence only, I have no statistics at hand). And as the system balkanizes, and becomes more responsive to market demand, the criteria for entry will evolve as well. This could perhaps force the lower schools to change their goals and methods, in a way making them more responsive to the market, even if indirectly.
Combine all that with technology allowing wider choices at all levels, and there may be an opportunity to break the government monopoly - or that it will break organically, without any intent. I’ll have to mull it over.
That’s one of the legs of my three-legged stool of government’s grip on power. The other two being wealth redistribution and control of the currency. They all interact such that each depends on the other two. All else, even war, is derivative. Take any one of the three out, and I think the stool will topple. I think control of the currency is the most vulnerable, but not by much, and public education is certainly a very worthwhile target.
I like that…makes a lot of sense. I think I’ll have to steal that but change it to three-legged dog for more visual impact since they just limp along keeping a precarious balance most of the time. Have to figure out what the missing leg symbolizes though.
As to universities disappearing I kind of think not. They have a lot of inertia behind them with alumni associations and endowments that give the graduates a value added over and above the basic education. Kind of like a brand name or something. Quite a few have been around a lot longer than the State’s involvement with that particular attempt to control the hearts and minds of the people.
Now pure state run universities that target someone who is just interested in a degree are fungible enough that it really wouldn’t matter where you went. Who is really going to brag about graduating from Hayward State compared to say ITT or any of the other private tech type schools, it really doesn’t matter so people just looking for a ticket into the job market could go just about anywhere really.
Except that as the gulf between a college degree and actual education gets wider, those that offer only degrees (and propoganda) will have a tougher time getting those “tickets” honored. That could/should provide a differential that markets can exploit. My point was that higher education is optional, and so more immediately subject to market forces.
Steal the three legs all you want. I can’t imagine what the missing leg would symbolize. It would have to be either something else fundamental that the government needs but doesn’t have (can’t think of anything), or something that would make the dog walk right again, which kind of muddles the analogy of toppling it by removing or crippling one of the three.
That’s a smart plan really, John. I think you’re on to something with it. Any ideas on how to really push it through or give it more support? Or do you think it will just be a natural evolution?