Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite, and the Way to a Meaningful Life |
Author: William Deresiewicz | Rating: 10/11 |
Have you noticed the increasing numbers of children on antidepressants, or anti-anxiety medication? How about the increasingly stringent admissions standards not only at the Ivy Leagues, but amongst the higher-tier public and state Universities, making the race for admissions to higher education institutions begin long before puberty these days? Have you ever asked yourself how this happened, and what, if anything, can be done about it? Well, in former Yale Professor William Deresiewicz’ new book, prompted by his essay The Disadvantages of an Elite Education from 2008, these are the exact questions – and then some – that he explores. The book reads much like an exposé of an anonymous Ivy League students’ opinions of both their upbringing amidst the American upper-middle class and the higher education institutions that they came of age at. Not only does Deresiewicz speak with candor about the ins and outs of the educational hierarchy from an insiders point of view, but he prompts some serious questions about the potential for reform and what we as parents can do to encourage our children from a young age to change the way that they’re learning, and as a result, what they take from the world in exchange.
A much recommended read, especially for those currently with or planning to have children. Look for it online & in-store August 19, 2014.