Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Weapons of Mass Instruction

This is a very enjoyable book for people like me who enjoy inducing a little paranoia into their day. I had planned to add lots of quotes, but...I will just say the book is out there, those who will gain something probably already know this argument.

It looks at the origins of our modern day compulsory schooling and the driving forces behind it and what keeps it running.

Do you ever wonder why in a supposed "free" country everyone has to go to school? Do you wonder why most of us don't feel free to speak openly in spite of "freedom of speech?"
Do you wonder why it's so hard to buck the mainstream choices. This book made me start wondering.

The Psychology of Harry Potter

Oh my gosh, I love this book! It takes all my undergraduate training and applies it to the Harry Potter books. It's a series of articles by those who study psychology and it's just a lot of fun for a nerd like me.