DeepSummary
Seth Godin begins by recounting his experience of applying to Brown University early decision and being rejected, only to later be accepted at his backup school. He laments that most people remember college for the day they got accepted and the day they graduated, highlighting how the system is built around the idea of earning a label or certificate of compliance rather than true learning and transformation.
Godin then discusses the college admissions scandal, criticizing the false measures like SAT scores and athletic recruitment that are used to determine admissions. He argues these metrics don't reflect true merit and suggests starting to undo cultural biases around education much earlier, from age 3 onwards.
Godin promotes his alternative education programs, the Alt MBA and Akimbo workshops, as focused on learning through communities and forward motion rather than just earning credentials. He emphasizes that access to learning is now open like never before thanks to the internet, but cultural barriers persist in making people feel undeserving of taking advantage of these opportunities.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The college admissions system is flawed, relying on false metrics of merit like test scores and athletic recruitment rather than evaluating true ability.
- Cultural biases around privilege and access to education are deeply ingrained from a young age, creating a skewed playing field.
- True learning is an active, voluntary process distinct from education as passive compliance to earn a credential.
- Open access to learning opportunities online provides alternatives to traditional formal education pathways.
- Building communities of peer learners engaged in forward progress is vital for driving real change and growth.
- Wealth and privilege alone should not be equated with merit or leadership - true contribution matters more.
- Earning labels and checking boxes is valued over using education to start impactful endeavors that outlive graduation.
- Institutional admissions processes tend to perpetuate existing power structures rather than identify real potential.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “We've created this whole mythology that famous schools are harder. Famous schools aren't actually harder. Famous schools simply have more demand, which is what made them famous.“ by Seth Godin
- “If we've brainwashed privileged people to think they belong there, and we've brainwashed unprivileged people to think that they don't. And so culturally, we have lots of things to undo.“ by Seth Godin
- “When people talk about great examples of heroism and leadership and contribution in our culture, they almost never talk about people who spend money like water. That's not the point.“ by Seth Godin
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Episode Information
Akimbo: A Podcast from Seth Godin
Seth Godin
2/7/24
A live Q&A about confusing education and learning.
Akimbo is a weekly podcast created by Seth Godin. He's the bestselling author of 20 books and a long-time entrepreneur, freelancer and teacher.
You can find out more about Seth by reading his daily blog at seths.blog and about the podcast at akimbo.link.
To submit a question and to see the show notes, please visit akimbo.link and press the appropriate button.
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