As twilight settles over Tahquitz Peak, the summer days seem to stretch on like the winding paths of Strawberry Creek. Idyllwild, the picturesque mountain village in Southern California, basks in the golden light filtering through towering pines and aromatic cedars. Here, we can inhale deeply, allowing time to slow as we embrace the final moments of summer before school resumes.
The children will return to classrooms next week, where crowded spaces and standardized curriculums await. It’s hard to accept the end of summer. After all, childhood is fleeting, and why rush to close the door on fun and adventure? The Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail offers a far richer education than any classroom could, teaching valuable lessons in time, gravity, ecology, and consequences—lessons that are inherently present in nature.
While foundational skills like reading, writing, and arithmetic are best mastered in school, once these essentials are acquired, individuals can pursue knowledge independently. Beyond elementary grades, traditional classroom environments often hinder independent thinking, transforming into spaces that can even diminish one’s intelligence.
The Cost of Ignorance
A person’s ability to think independently can quickly erode when they’re taught precisely what to think. Unfortunately, the outcome is often a process that leads them to think in misguided ways without even realizing it. A prime example is the First Lady, who holds degrees from prestigious institutions like Princeton and Harvard Law School.
She identified a problem—overweight children in schools—and proposed a solution that lacks foresight. Years ago, she took action by removing vending machines from schools, effectively banning snacks like Funyuns and corn nuts. However, the result has been counterproductive; reports indicate that children are merely skipping lunches to purchase junk food on their way home. In some cases, when they do buy lunch, they discard half of it in the trash.
This scenario exemplifies ineffective problem-solving, and sadly, these misguided decisions come at a hefty price. The public sphere often rewards such flawed intellect, allowing wasteful and impractical initiatives to flourish unchecked.
Identifying the Problem
If you’re skeptical, consider this compilation showcasing just a fraction of the costly blunders made by those in charge.
Take, for example, the $400 million wasted on federal workers who were paid to do nothing, or the $17.5 million allocated for tax relief for Nevada brothels. Further examples include the $297 billion spent on a giant blimp that only had one flight and the $325,525 spent researching how to calm disgruntled wives. Then, there’s the $1 million spent in Arlington, Virginia, on a bus stop with heated benches and Wi-Fi but no shelter from the elements.
Consider also the absurdities of $1.23 million of federal funds used to create apartments for deaf seniors that are unusable, or the $3 million NASA spent on a study about Congressional operations. We can’t forget the $3.5 million investment in solar panels that blinded pilots at Manchester-Boston Airport.
Additionally, there was a $384,989 grant from the federal government to study duck genitalia and a $398,990 allocation to examine the cognitive skills of Tea Party members.
These examples are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the extravagant expenditures of misguided initiatives. There is no shortage of foolishness in our public sector.
As we draw this discussion to a close, it’s imperative to remain aware and critical. Let’s strive to avoid becoming complicit in the manifestation of misguided actions and financial frivolities.
Sincerely,
MN Gordon
for Economic Prism
