[vienna]

The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Edward Bernayes

"Conscious and intelligent"? Who determines those values in the equation? Social engineering, to me, is an insidious aspect of education to be avoided. Growing up in the 50's and 60's, our generation was the first to be exposed to the "benefits" of social engineering; one has only to look at American society as it has "progressed over the last 30-35 years to see the "benign" effect of social engineering. (Yes, I'm using a lot of quote marks; perhaps I'm trying to meet a quote-a...) The nations values have disintegrated in direct proportion to the effects of educational social engineering. From the advent of the Yuppies in the 80's to the upcoming generation who feels they are entitled to certain perks they have not earned (a result of the "everybody wins" aspect of social engineering) to the appaling decline of even simple educational progress in schools, the effects of promoting social engineering over essential educational needs is evident. Schools should return to teaching the necessary life skills and knowledge as they did before the pop-psychologists and niche cultural interests hijacked the educational system and turned it into their labs and our kids into "lab rats". After about 50 years of "I'm OK, You're OK" style "progressive" education all we have to show for it are dumber students and a worse society...

Now, i believe I will give my "quote" key a needed rest...