Promotion in school leads to promotion in work

Last night was my "little's" eighth grade graduation ceremony from PS126. They do quite a job making it resemble commencement.... awards, caps and gowns, a valedictorian and a salutorian.

But gone missing were sentiments about choosing one's own path or knowledge as it's own reward. The two adults spoke of this being the first of many hurdles, going from HS, college, straight into work. The purpose of all these hurdles is to get a good job and make money. If money wasn't the goal, it was marriage and kids.

Now I know that kids need guidance and discipline and that usually comes in the flavor of structured time and respect for elders, but this just makes all their work seem truely bland and simplistic, if not bleak and uninspiring. The message preys on their materialism and starves the more sustaining aspects of self esteem.