“As you can see, I have memorized this utterly useless piece of information long enough to pass a test question. I now intend to forget it forever. You’ve taught me nothing except how to cynically manipulate the system. Congratulations.”
-Calvin (Bill Watterson)
When I was in high school, I remember thinking similar things on a regular basis. Why in the world do I need to know this? And to some extent, it’s true. While I can remember the quadratic equation, I have never once needed to determine the roots of ax2 + bx + c = 0.
Funny thing about that. It seems to be a more popular perception than I thought.
Randall Munroe, XKCD. Posted by permission.
This philosophy taken to its logical conclusion is probably what led Isaac Asimov to say, “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” (Newsweek, 21 January 1980).
However, Munroe’s alt-text for the above cartoon is “The only things you HAVE to know are how to make enough of a living to stay alive and how to get your taxes done. All the fun parts of life are optional.” That’s just what I was incapable of getting my head around at the time: oftentimes the only purpose in learning is to teach us how to learn, and what a joy that is in itself.
When I was a kid, librarians were held in high esteem. If you couldn’t find something you wanted you went to the librarian, who either knew the answer immediately or knew exactly where to find it. They were the living Wikipedias of the era, and they understood the joy of learning.
“Were man to live coeval with the sun, the patriarch-pupil would be learning still.”
-Young, “Night Thoughts.”
There’s something to be said for a broad-based education in preparation for choosing a career, but better than teaching endless rafts of facts in preparation for the almighty standardized tests, schools ought to be teaching kids how to learn and how to think and how to question; minds that can do this are the fertile seedbeds of innovation and social justice.
The Old Wolf has spoken.
Playing in the World Game 
Learning has always been the last great adventure. There is a universe full of things to learn…and everyone can find some that are fun. Find what winds up your world and then spend your life learning to do it better every day! Learn for the FUN OF IT!
Well said.
Nobody has needed me to solve anything for X. I do it just for myself.
No, really, I find that history is more fascinating, math more fun, understanding things is up to me–and that’s what makes it worth while.
Hated, for example, “The Mayor of Casterbridge” while in High School, because it was jammed down my throat with at thumping pole. Picked it up again my Junior year in college, and devoured it. I love Hardy’s writings. And much etcetera.