“We don’t need no education / We don’t need no thought control...” – Pink Floyd
Formal education isn’t for everyone. Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg both dropped out of prestigious universities and became Silicon Valley billionaires within a few short years, and Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Edison never even completed high school, instead relying on borrowed books and self-teaching to achieve success. For every Zuckerberg or Lincoln though, there are countless others who have gained so much through structured learning and a formal education.
It should come as no surprise that, when we asked our community whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement “Formal education is overrated,” we observed a great difference of opinion on the subject. For example, a large gap could be found between the Intuitive and the Observant traits (51.44% vs. 35.49% agreeing) and between the Prospecting and the Judging traits (52.60% vs. 36.71% agreeing).
Interestingly, there appeared to be little significant difference among the type strategies, implying that one’s outward approach may have no real bearing on one’s opinion of formal education. However, there was quite a bit of difference among the type roles, which we explore in more detail below:
Roles
Among Analysts, 53.16% agreed that formal education is overrated, the highest of the role groups, and a majority. It might seem odd that Analysts, with their reputation for intellectual pursuits like science and technology, would regard formal education this way. But Analysts are strong-willed and independent, and may consider the traditional classroom too rigidly structured and confining to serve the pursuit of knowledge on their own terms. With such an even split among respondents, it appears that while some Analysts take after Edison’s approach to learning, others find there’s still plenty of value in a more orthodox educational environment – if not for them, then at least for most others.
Diplomats were also split on the question of formal education, with 50.49% agreeing. Although Diplomats may enjoy the camaraderie and cooperative learning that school offers, their dreamy visionary nature may also lead them to question the conventions of the classroom. Does this box really give the human spirit what it needs to grow? While they may not be overtly dismissive of formal education like an Analyst, they may experience a quieter, internal revolt – perhaps to the point of walking away from the educational system entirely.
Although a minority of Explorers agreed with the statement “Formal education is overrated,” it was a significant minority (42.91%). This response reflects the nonconformist Prospecting side of Explorers – their improvisatory, spontaneous tendencies often lead them to chafe at anything structured, including education. Explorers are also eminently practical individuals though, which may help them check these tendencies long enough to receive the instruction and credentials necessary for whatever they’ve set their hearts and hands to.
Last, we have the Sentinels, only 31.15% of whom agreed that formal education is overrated. Like the Explorers, Sentinels see the practical benefit of formal education, but they also see inherent value in the institution itself. Where the other roles may find the content of a class worth the compromise of learning in an uncomfortable setting, Sentinels tend to see this structure as worthy of respect and emulation, not resistance. For them, formal education may be as much about acquiring particular skills and knowledge as it is about learning how to work with others in an ordered, hierarchical setting.
Conclusions
Some may think of the benefit in formal education to society as a whole, and consider it worth the time even if they disagree with the principles. Others may lament the values lost in the endless pursuit of progress, even knowing the benefits of education. Entrepreneurship and research bring new possibilities to the world, but critics might point to lack of running water and well-built homes in even developed parts of the world, and wonder: why are we still chasing progress, when there’s work to do? While formal education has been a boon to many, to others it’s a distraction from more important pursuits. The relatively even split among respondents would seem to point to the continued contentiousness of the need for education.
How was your experience with education? Did you feel that is was the cornerstone to your success, or did you feel like “just another brick in the wall?”