https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBr2jlPJ9O0
So, the educational system is supposed to train people to be obedient, conformist, not think too much, do what you’re told, stay passive, don’t cause any crisis of democracy, don’t raise any questions, and so on. That’s basically what the system is about.
Even the fact that the system has a lot of stupidity in it I think has a function. It means that people are filtered out for obedience. If you can guarantee lots of stupidity in the educational system, you know like stupid assignments and things like that, you know that the only people who will make it through are people like me, and like most of you, I guess, who are willing to do it no matter how stupid it is; because, we want to go to the next step, you know.
So you may know that this assignment is idiotic and the guy up there couldn’t think his way out of a paper bag, but you’ll do it anyway because that’s the way you get to the next class. And you want to make it and so on and so forth.
Well there are people who don’t do that, you know. There are people who say, “I’m not going to do it. It’s too ridiculous.” You know. Those people are called “behavioral problems.” Or something like that. They end up in the principal’s office or in the streets or selling drugs or whatever, and all of this is a technique for selection for obedience.
Vocabulary
1. and so on/forth ________ 2. conform ________ 3. conformist ________ 4. filter something out ________ 5. function ________ 6. obedient ________ 7. obey ________ 8. passive ________ 9. principal ________ 10. principal’s office ________ 11. ridiculous ________ 12. way out of a paper bag ________ | A. (noun) doing, or willing to do, what you have been told to do by someone in authority B. the place where naughty children are sent to be punished by the principal C. used after a list of things to show that you could have added other similar things D. an idiom used to describe something that someone completely cannot do E. the person in charge of a school or college F. not reacting to what happens, or not acting or taking part G. to remove a particular substance from a liquid or gas H. someone who behaves or thinks like the other people in a group and doesn't do anything unusual I. (verb) to act according to what you have been asked or ordered to do by someone in authority, or to behave according to a rule, law, or instruction J. to behave according to the usual standards of behaviour that are expected by a group or society K. the natural purpose (of something) or the duty (of a person) L. very silly |
Example Sentences:
She plays a lot of tennis and squash and so on.
At our school, you were required to conform, and there was no place for originality.
She was very conformist and dressed exactly like everyone else.
They use special equipment to filter out the dust.
The function of the veins is to carry blood to the heart.
I'm not quite sure what my function is within the company.
A thermostat performs the function of controlling temperature.
Students are expected to be quiet and obedient in the classroom.
an obedient dog
The soldiers refused to obey orders.
to obey the rules of international law
They attack people who are too weak or too passive to resist.
She was caught smoking and sent to see the principal.
The teacher sent the child straight to the principal’s office for punishment.
I've never heard anything so ridiculous.
a ridiculous suggestion
My boss is so clueless, he couldn't schedule his own way out of a paper bag.
Junior varsity couldn't play their way out of a paper bag in comparison.