Noam Chomsky on The Purpose of Education

“Do we want to have a society of free creative independent individuals able to appreciate and gain from the cultural achievements of the past, or do we want people to increase the GDP (gross national product)? They are not necessarily the same thing.

…An education is a value in itself, because it helps create better human beings.” – Noam Chomsky

Noam Chomsky’s observations about two different, at times conflicting views of the function of education, being either indoctrination or enlightenment and free exchange of ideas, is an interesting observation that I’ve seen subtly and at times overtly played out in academia and pedagogy time and time again. At times unsettling, always interesting and worth listening to.

Watch the video of Noam Chomsky on The Purpose of Education (video)