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Henry Rollins: Education Will Restore A Vigorous Democracy

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According to Henry Rollins, education is the great leveler of the playing field, which is why the punk rocker says that elites are fearful of it. What would happen if our educational system did succeed in leveling the playing field? According to Rollins, for one thing, the prison population will plummet.

The temptation to rob a liquor store, for instance, would be greatly reduced, Rollins says, if our schools succeeded in teaching all students aptitude — the ability to learn. That means “someone can open any book and have the ability to obtain knowledge.” 
What other benefits would reinventing education have?

Rollins says that democracy would be a much more vigorous thing. “We would expect much more of our politicians,” he says, “and Thomas Jefferson would finally stop rolling in his grave.”


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