Astral Codex Ten Podcast

Book Review: The Cult Of Smart

40 snips
Feb 20, 2021
Freddie DeBoer challenges the narrative of failing education in America in 'The Cult Of Smart'. He argues that education isn't declining, race and gender gaps are stable or decreasing. Critiques tough education reforms and advocates for reevaluation of meritocracy. Explores universal pre-K benefits and critiques traditional schooling system for limiting freedom and creativity.
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INSIGHT

Education Performance Stable Over Time

  • American education is not declining; students perform as well or better than decades ago.
  • Socioeconomic factors like poverty and racism heavily limit educational outcomes.
INSIGHT

Reform Gains Often Illusory

  • Education reforms often show gains by manipulating student selection or lowering standards.
  • Many improvements are illusions supported by excluding lower-performing students from tests.
INSIGHT

Genetics Dominate Intelligence Differences

  • Intelligence differences are largely genetic within our current society.
  • Schools cannot equalize innate cognitive abilities completely, so some students will always fail standards.
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