How Schools Stifle Curiosity and Create Learned Helplessness

BTC Sessions Ep. 035: Kerry McDonald on Unschooled, Joyful Learning, Decentralized Education, Bitcoin Parenting & Permissionless Learning.

Discover the power of unschooling, homeschooling, and micro-schooling in this eye-opening interview with Kerry McDonald, bestselling author of "Unschooled" and "Joyful Learning." As Bitcoiners embrace low time preference education, Kerry reveals how self-directed education, alternative education, and the Sudbury model foster creativity, curiosity, and resilience—mirroring Bitcoin's decentralized, permissionless ethos. Dive into school choice, education entrepreneurship, and decentralized education strategies that empower families to opt out of outdated systems. Learn about homeschooling, decentralized schooling, and permissionless learning to raise sovereign kids ready for a Bitcoin future. From combating learned helplessness to building joyful learning environments, this episode exposes why separating state from education is as crucial as state from money.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Intro: Education Crisis

00:01:20 Low Time Preference Parenting

00:02:23 Unschooled Explained

00:04:26 Why Alternative Education?

00:06:54 Curiosity in Classrooms

00:09:37 Learned Helplessness

00:10:51 Creativity Metrics

00:13:21 Sudbury Model

00:16:47 Lord of the Flies Myth

00:19:20 Decentralized Marketplace

00:23:16 Human vs AI Intelligence

00:23:50 Orange Pill Moment

00:26:00 School Game

00:28:00 Bitcoin Parallels

00:29:46 Hammering Basics

00:30:32 Micro-School Impediments

00:35:41 Micro-School Stories

00:37:43 Bitcoin Parenting Investment

00:39:17 Micro-School Costs

00:41:12 Business Sustainability

00:42:24 Unschooled Kids Differences

00:43:25 Free-Range Kids

00:45:20 Childhood Independence

00:47:20 Free Play & Mental Health

00:47:59 Bitcoin Journey

00:49:13 Money-Education Parallels

00:50:06 Permissionless Future

00:51:19 Find Kerry

About Kerry McDonald

Bestselling author of "Unschooled" and "Joyful Learning," advocate for self-directed education, host of Liberated Podcast.

X.com: @kerry_edu

Podcast: liberatedpodcast.com

Website: kerrymcdonald.com

Books: Available wherever books are sold

Check out the previous episode with Tom Luongo: https://youtu.be/5oS4sop9t2Y

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