It's hard to avoid the conclusion that we all ought to learn the basics of plumbing.
Those who expect AI to continue apace suggest that it will soon replace much white collar work, and that we should all learn a trade.
Those who expect Modernity to run out of gas (fossil fuels, mined materials, political coherence) suggest that we'll be entering a much lower-energy, mostly-local economy soon; someone will need to build and fix those rainwater catchment systems.
But in a 'middling' scenario -- Modernity continues to sputter along; the economy maintains its current structure, with occasional painful spasms; we don't run out of fossil fuels very soon; AI replaces some, but not very many jobs -- we might consider learning plumbing for other reasons, too.
Those of us who depend on Modern Infrastructure and the Modern Economy for the basics -- food, water, shelter, heating, cooling, sanitation, communications -- have limited ability to 'opt out' from existing political and social structures. If we don't pay the heating bill, we'll freeze; we need to keep our job if we're going to have money for the heating bill; we tend to be locked in.
But perhaps we can chip away at these interlocking dependencies, and begin to free ourselves a bit. Learn to fix your own toilet, save money on the plumbing bill, and you might start to save up enough money that a job-switch isn't as scary. Collectively establish some skills and resources among friends and neighbors -- electrical, carpentry, mechanical, food supplies -- and perhaps you're all feeling more secure, more willing to risk doing things differently.
Climate change, political upheaval, economic instability -- all can lead to sudden hiccups in supply chains, energy availability, lines of communication. It's wise to develop backup alternatives to basic necessities, just in case. In many cases, that 'backup' infrastructure is also a useful kernel for developing a full-fledged, parallel alternative to the status quo infrastructure: nice to have rainwater catchment in case the grid goes down; maybe a little more rainwater catchment, and you don't need town water at all.
Our modern economy is sufficiently complex, large, and competitive that we tend to think that our best strategy in life is to develop a specialized skill, and parlay that into a paying job.
On a small farm, this sort of specialization isn't so useful. All sorts of things need to be done; all sorts of things break and need to be fixed; and hiring or training a specialist for each one is untenable. Instead, everyone learns enough about most things to keep things going.
Some folks may possess or develop particular aptitudes for particular skill domains; but it might be wise to begin from the idea that most folks can likely become sufficiently proficient in most things. 'Rotations' through various skills, in which various sorts of jobs and skills are experienced, might be a useful practice -- at least initially, and perhaps ongoing.
Recent cognitive science doesn't support the idea of different 'learning styles' -- most of us seem to tend to learn most effectively in similar ways
Being a 'math person' or a 'language person' in many cases stem from early educational experiences and inherited attidues, rather than any inherent ability / lack of ability
'Knowledge sticks to knowledge' -- it is now believed that learning (especially vocabulary) is much easier when one is already in possession of context, experience, and some sort of 'schema' to which new knowledge can be connected. The idea that we can reason 'abstractly' and just 'look up the specific facts' in a domain doesn't seem supported by cognitive science; abstract reasoning depends in large part on knowledge of, and fluency with, particulars; cf this interview
Memorization of facts is useful and important -- it reduces cognitive load when reasoning about new situations -- cf. multiplication tables in mathematics, geography when route planning, etc.
Education and work both appear to be in flux right now. The COVID pandemic forced much work and education to shift online, causing many to question the need for in-person workplaces and schools. This was an acceleration of a trend already present in higher education, in which the rise of online courses and credentialing outside the university had led many to question the need for high-tuition, residential university programs.
Now, the rapid and widespread adoption of AI tools among students and researchers alike has impacted the logistics of teaching. Any work done that allows access to a computer (most work) is likely assisted by AI. It is not clear that students are learning very well.
At the primary and high school levels, assessements of reading and writing abilities have indicated significant drops in recent years. Changes in the approach to teaching reading and writing, and the impacts of smartphone, iPad, and laptop use in the classroom seem to be contributing factors.
In general, the purpose of education now feels unclear. Historically, the purpose had often been to create virtuous citizens; in recent decades, the focus had shifted towards preparing students for participation in the economy. With the future of the economy in question due to AI and other factors, it's not clear what role or what priority education should be assigned for young people.
In 'Finding Lights in a Dark Age', Smaje suggests that higher education will still be useful in a small farm future (SFF), and suggests that we look into the history of how universities (or similar learning structures) have been maintained through 'dark' periods in the history of the various cultures who've maintained them.
Another suggestion from Smaje is that STEM will be important in a lower energy future, and that we should find ways of retaining and enhancing that knowledge. He suggests that this future will be some complex mix of the insights of Modernity around science and materials, as well as methods and approaches used in our lower-energy past.
It is worth pointing out that when the future is unpredictable, analogies and recipes break down, and knowledge of scientific principles and laws becomes more important. This is another reason to emphasize education in the basic sciences.
Research in the cognitive science of learning suggests that it is quite possible to revist education in basic sciences even at the adult level, using more effective techniques around working memory, scaffolding, the development of expertise, etc.
Another psychological element to consider is the role of emotional resilience. Persistence, tenacity, flexibility, and quick recovery from setbacks are all traits that can be acquired through engagement in challenging projects.
Research indicates that reading comprehension and the development of writing skills are enhanced when reading paper books, and writing things out longhand. Paper is one of the most reliable media we have for storing documents long-term, and is likely to be a primary medium for data retrieval in the future. Counter to the trend to remove support from paper documents and book in libraries, it would be useful to organize paper-based data storage and retrieval methods. Bridging technologies in the next decades that allow for easy, local, off-line access to large databases of knowledge will be useful. With proper preparation, such technologies might plausibly last at least decades; an eventual transfer of information deemed sufficiently important could be transferred to other, more resilient media that does not depend on a microchip supply chain.
Further: relying on off-line, local electronic documents might be a useful way of interacting with digtial media for children (and adults who struggle with their interactions with the internet).
Because the interent provides such utility across so many domains, and because of the complexity of software systems, it is difficult to artificially and reliably restrict access to only some of the interent on a given device. Schools have attempted to do this for children with limited success. Social pressure among children to gain access to the internet -- social media, gaming, video -- is strong. It is likely that the most effective policies currently to protect children from internet-induced disruptions to development is a strict ban on digital media in general.
In 'The Preparation', the authors suggest that the university model is now outdated and unnecessary, and provide a model for an alternative educational pathway for young adults. This path is grounded in practical work in the world, engaging in projects, employment, and training that are embedded in various pragmatic contexts: training and working as an EMT for a period; learning welding and other fabrication; learning to cook; starting a business; living aboard a sailing vessel. Much of this approach is in line with educational trajectories advocated for by anarchist philosophers, homeschoolers / unschoolers, those in the self-directed, 'play'-based learning movement, A Pattern Language, and other texts. It is also more akin to the forms of education and life-preparation that have operated in most cultures historically: children participate in the activities of adulthood as soon as they're capable -- first as play, then increasingly as useful contributors -- rather than being artificially segretated by age, and told that they will only be allowed to do certain things at certain times.