Is Education working or is it broken?  

Some could make a strong case either way - but I would argue education is working exactly as it was intended for the most part - to produce homogenous obedient subjects - ready to fill the manufacturing jobs….of the future or past?

Manufacturing may be coming back to America - but those plants will be full of AI powered machines and not full of human laborers. If you think AI won’t replace human labor in factories, consider this: One John Deere tractor replaced about 15 farmhands on 100 acres of corn. Now that same tractor doesn’t even need a driver - it’s AI-powered and possibly taking orders from an algorithm running in a data farm… that replaced the guy who used to manage the farmhands.

I’ve enjoyed reading a book recently called Weapons of Mass Instruction. It makes the case that the educational system in America for the last 100 years has been built and crafted to make employees who know what to believe and think - not how to think. The irony of the wealthiest thought leaders in America all being college dropouts almost spoils the plot. You may have heard of some of them:

• Steve Jobs – Co-founder of Apple; dropped out of Reed College; passed away in 2011, but still one of the most iconic dropout founders

• Travis Kalanick – Co-founder of Uber; dropped out of UCLA

• Sam Altman – CEO of OpenAI, co-founder of Loopt, former President of Y Combinator; dropped out of Stanford

• Larry Ellison – Co-founder of Oracle; dropped out twice (University of Illinois and University of Chicago); net worth ~$276 billion

• Mark Zuckerberg – Co-founder of Meta (Facebook); dropped out of Harvard; net worth ~$221 billion

• Bill Gates – Co-founder of Microsoft; dropped out of Harvard; net worth ~$149 billion

• Larry Page – Co-founder of Google (Alphabet); dropped out of Stanford PhD program; net worth ~$117 billion

• Michael Dell – Founder of Dell Technologies; dropped out of University of Texas at Austin; net worth ~$49 billion

• Dustin Moskovitz – Co-founder of Facebook; dropped out of Harvard; net worth ~$20.9 billion

• Jack Dorsey – Co-founder of Twitter and Square; dropped out of Missouri University of Science and Technology and NYU; net worth ~$13.7 billion

I am not saying college is worthless - I imagine the funding for most of these guys and many others comes from the network and friends built in college - I am confident its not coming from the classes they studied or the grades they got on tests.

My Education

I had a sacrificial mom who was a high school graduate turned entrepreneur later in life who homeschooled me most of elementary school. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I remember how she was ridiculed for it and told she was taking a risk on my future and likely I would be socially awkward and not as bright as other students. I got straight A’s from the moment I entered elementary school until I graduated high school. In college, I finally figured out that for my future - none of the test scores or grades mattered and so I focused on making friends and memories more than competing in the athletics of academics.

You may ask why I went on to college( I do) - my dad felt strongly that it was important. He thought it would be for grades and to be smarter. But the value I really got was that I appreciate the friends, memories and finding my wife (who interestingly enough was also homeschooled through most of elementary school.)

The State of Education

It has taken me many years and many nightmares thinking I’m late for some paper for a class I’ve skipped all semester (sounds like PTSD) to finally figure out that the educational system in America is a train wreck.

If my daughter was graduating high school today, I would tell her the objective of college is to find a spouse, make lifelong friends (you only need a handful), hone your craft and calling, explore what you are curious about, and make memories - all in that order and that a degree is optional.

Now if she wanted to be in the medical field - I would ask her why and see if she can consider where medicine and healthcare vs. sickcare will be in the coming years. She may realize being a doctor would restrict her ability to help heal people.

If she wanted to be a teacher, I would ask what she wants to teach and why - it may be coming from a place of creativity and not wanting to follow state mandated curriculum to produce the results of the modern educational system.

If she wanted to be an attorney, I would ask her if she wants friends or frenemies 🙂 (Disclaimer: I love my attorney friends - thanks for reading my joke)

AI and Education

I was inspired on this topic because I read the two most powerful men in the world - or at least about to be (I think likely the first two trillionaires if we still use fiat currency in 5 years)- comment on education and how it relates with their children.

Anthropic co-founder Ben Mann:

“If this were 10-20 years ago, I’d be lining [my daughter] up for top-tier schools and extracurriculars. But now I don’t think any of it’s going to matter. Learning facts is going to fade into the background. What matters is that she’s happy, thoughtful, curious, and kind.”

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman:

“My kid will never ever be smarter than an AI. That will never happen… But also, they’ll never know a world where products and services aren’t way smarter than them and and super capable… And in that world, I think education’s going to feel very different. I already think college is maybe not working great for most people… I think fast forward 18 years, it’s going to look like a very, very different thing.”

I’m passionate about watching trends, where the wind is blowing, and considering what tomorrow may look like.

Here are some of the thought leaders on the impact of AI on jobs - which is why people go on to get a college degree in most cases - to get a better job than they would without one.

Elimination of Half of All Entry-Level White‑Collar Jobs (~10–20% Rise in Unemployment)

Who’s saying it?

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, one of the leading AI labs, warned that AI could wipe out up to 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs—and in doing so potentially raise U.S. unemployment to 10–20% within the next five years. Sectors highlighted include technology, finance, law, and consulting.

Up to 30% of U.S. Work Hours Could Be Automated by 2030

Who’s projecting this?

Analysts cited by publications like The Times (citing Morgan Stanley, McKinsey, and Dario Amodei) forecast that AI systems could eventually automate up to 30% of work hours across the U.S. economy by 2030.

The Contrarian View by a Teacher

Only 5% of Jobs at Risk—Everything Else Is Overhyped

MIT economist Daron Acemoglu pushes back on the alarmism, estimating that AI will replace or heavily assist in only about 5% of jobs over the next decade. He warns that widespread expectations of dramatic disruption may lead to overinvestment and potential downturns in tech markets.

Do we bet on the teacher’s opinion or the men likely to become trillionaires from their product? 

Takeaways: Why Education is so important - the How kind, not the What kind.

I’ve recently been learning about how healthy it is for the brain to be curious and to learn. I used to hate to read and write book reports, now I do it for fun and to learn and retain more.

Here is the science on why we should keep learning all through life.

1. Learning Keeps Your Brain Young (Neuroplasticity)

Engaging in novel and challenging learning tasks strengthens neuroplasticity—your brain’s ability to form new neural connections. This helps delay cognitive decline and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

🧠 “Mental stimulation through lifelong learning has been associated with slower cognitive aging and a reduced risk of dementia.”

— Wilson et al., Neurology, 2007 PMID: 17562959

2. Learning Boosts Psychological Well-Being

Mastering new skills or knowledge increases dopamine, the brain’s “reward” chemical, enhancing mood, confidence, and emotional resilience.

😊 “Lifelong learning is associated with greater psychological well-being, higher self-esteem, and reduced depressive symptoms.”

— Hammond, C., Center for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning, 2004

3. Learning Supports Longevity

People who engage in continuous learning and intellectual activities tend to live longer, healthier lives—likely due to increased mental engagement and healthier lifestyle choices.

⏳ “Cognitive activity in later life is associated with lower mortality.”

— Bassuk et al., American Journal of Epidemiology, 1999 PMID: 10436143

4. Learning Builds Social Connection

Learning often happens in community—whether a class, club, or conversation—which strengthens social bonds. Social connection is one of the most powerful predictors of longevity and happiness.

🤝 “Social engagement—including through learning environments—reduces the risk of all-cause mortality.”

— Holt-Lunstad et al., PLoS Medicine, 2010 PMID: 20668659

5. Learning Helps Us Adapt to Change and Stress

Lifelong learners are more adaptable and open to new experiences, which buffers against the health effects of stress and fosters emotional flexibility—a key to thriving in an uncertain world.

🌱 “Learning increases cognitive reserve and adaptability, leading to greater stress resilience and improved quality of life.”

— Park & Bischof, Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 2013 PMID: 23964216

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I’d love to hear your thoughts. 👋

I write this newsletter each week because I feel my best when my body, mind and soul are all healthy. I want the same for you. If you feel like you’ve seen something valuable here, please do me a favor and forward this newsletter to a friend or let me know what you think by replying or texting me - (310) 879-8441

I think happy couples make the world go round. I also believe men can do more to lead and love in their lives. In light of that, I have found the following four books to be the 4 books every man should read and every woman should want their man to read.

• Good Energy - What makes for a Healthy Body and Mind?

• The Masculine in Relationship - How to Win the Trust, Lust and Devotion of a Strong Woman

• The Man’s Guide to Women - The Science of Happy Relationships

• The Desire of Ages - Leadership in a World of Cowards

Here are a few other links to things that have changed my life:

Whoop - Track your HRV and REM Sleep

Function Health - Optimize Your Health via 100+ BioMarkers

Here are a few topics I think you’ll love if you haven’t checked them out before:

How to Breathe for Better Health

How to Supercharge Your Sleep

The Power of the Sauna

-Jared

P.S. - This newsletter does not provide medical advice. The content, such as graphics, images, text, and all other materials, is provided for reference and educational purposes only. The content is not meant to be complete or exhaustive or to be applicable to any specific individual's medical condition.