“I return to the ideal I raised when we discussed
the possibility of an open childhood. A single word,
an entire philosophy of education: Socrates speaking
of himself as “midwife” to his students. Mid wife—
one who brings forth what is already there, waiting to
be born: the hidden splendors of self-knowledge.
That is where a personalist education begins in this
Socratic conviction that our first and highest object of
study resides within. All there. Given. Teachers
may offer information, know-how, technique,
example. But until the student’s innate calling
declares itself, we have nothing but mimicry, memory
work, superficial performance. It is only after we
have tapped an authentic incentive that true education
happens. Then, everything that lends depth and
distinction unfolds before us—from the inside out.”
…
We are all born mavericks, gifted with strange vocations.
…
This is what all of us bring into life and to school: a wholly unexplored radically unpredictable identity.

From Chapter 7 of Person/Planet: The Creative Disintegration of Industrial Society By Theodore Roszak

LINK

And see also Chapter 6: page 179: The Open Childhood…

“The ideal of open childhood .. join the unconditional loyalty of the family to the Socratic commitment to free dialogue, and we have a home that champions self-discovery and defends it against all comers.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_opinion_by_country

… then why would it make sense as generic advice to those saving for retirement? Well, of course, it doesn’t.”

http://badmoneyadvice.com/2009/01/great-life-cycle-of-risk-aversion.html

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Hedr

What? No pickle or “capture”? Not today I guess. And we rode our bikes to and from today.

(I’ll report back on a rainy day when it is all inside play for comparison.)

And really, I have no idea what his day was really like. Except that he loves going to school. That’s what is important. The rest I trust will take care of itself.

And BTW, the reason it works I think:
1. People are naturally curious and have a innate desire to figure out the world and their place in it and what they want to do — day-to-day, next week, and when they “grow up”.
2. Schools don’t raise kids, families do.
3. His time at school is HIS time. No judgement.

idea 2) Much cheaper — thicker down comforters, sweaters, fleece, hat, my 100W electric panel under-desk (vs 1500W space heaters) with blanket for a sort of “homemade Kotatsu”. The problem is that fingers still get cold and it’s more flexible and more comfortable to not bundle.

idea 3) Some combo of the above.

idea 4) pellet stove or wood stove. Problem being that it would be mainly heating the big common space so getting heat to the office/bedrooms would be tricky.

=========

**Main goals are: 1) save $ and 2) KISS (Keep it simple, stupid) and 3) reduce carbon

I agree with many commenters that Thomas Friedman is oversimplifying and conflating at least 2 issues:

- hyperconnected world (internet)
- globalization
- corporate takeover
- personal responsibilities
- personal opportunities

Yes, individuals are very empowered. But the flip-side: so are businesses. So it’s not quite as easy as “If you are self-motivated…” Good luck or bad luck? “The limitation of the personal view” Jerry Mander calls it.

There are lots of very self-motivated, hard-working, smart people who are having trouble getting by.

Check out the highlighted comments. An example:

In a previous response to one of Mr. Friedman’s articles, I suggested that he was getting a bit rusty and ought to take time off and meditate in a Buddhist monastery. But after reading this article, I think the New York Times should oblige him to take early retirement – without a golden parachute.

In Friedman’s universe, there are two types of people: innovators, who are the only people who create anything worthwhile and deserve their hugely inflated salaries, and everyone else, the drudges, who are disposable. His vision of the future bears a resemblance to the colonial regimes of the 18th and 19th centuries, in which a tiny elite of “civilized, enlightened” Europeans exploited millions of “backward, superstitious natives” and claimed it was all being done in the name of progress. Far from being new, Friedman’s “401(k) World” is a very old story that is unfortunately likely to be replayed for future generations – unless we do something to stop it.

The ironic thing is that Friedman, who is telling everyone to “reinvent themselves,” always writes the same thing, over and over again. Which doesn’t make it more palatable.

Perhaps he should be replaced as op-ed columnist by the Dalai Lama?

I’m not kidding.