“I suppose it is because nearly all children go to school nowadays and have things arranged for them that they seem so forlornly unable to produce their own ideas.”

Yes, we're making analytical gorillas out of the future generation.

More truth than fiction there. Welcome back Logan

Compared to what? What is the other option here, staying at home and learning the trade one of your parent's do. Thsi would produce a stagnent society and would create generations of "blacksmiths" in the same family. How ever school at least has the potential to open doors that wouldn't have been thought of or possible if we stuck to our families.

Obviously Agatha is talking about Britain pre 1976 so of course her point has nothing to do with the USA in 2009. On the other hand if it is just talking points we are looking for then I agree with WILL. Some kids and some people have been underachievers and bored all of their lives, Some have not, I see no dearth of creativity in our society or literature, etcetera. Just when Britain or at least Agatha thought their culture was devoid of creativity people like Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Elton John come along. Oh yeah did I mention Boy George. Maybe some on this site do not consider that creativity. What then is creativity may I ask, any takers?

Will and Waffler, the other option to your mind sets and static socialization is creativity. (my experience with blacksmiths is that they, as individuals, are very creative) By way of a creative example. I worked with a Doctor that broke from the norm and was having phenomenal success in curing HIV and Aids. After a level of pier review, he had multiple offers to go to Africa and other places to set up clinics. The SEC came in, closed down the corp and threatened he and his family if he did not stop all research. The creativity was lost to government schooled researchers making profits for their companies.

Still true today. Pop culture, Waffler, is not a gauge of independent thought -- duh. Don't forget the Spice Girls -- completely arranged, simply put some ads in the paper and picked 5 little girls out of 10,000 applicants. No talent required, just sign the contract.

Dame Agatha was very, very good at one thing: following a formula. I'll take her supposition for what it is

Yeah, you did mention Boy George; interestingly enough that you mentioned him -- as he was sentenced to 15 months in jail today for whipping a male prostitute with a metal chain (I guess he was trying to create a new tapestry on the guy's back?). Forget the crap about "creativity", people have been creative since the beginning -- there was even art that came out of the Communist Revolution (albeit it was crap, although it was "creative"). I saw a documentary where people strip naked, smother themselves with paint, and then go freaky-deaky on the canvass -- not exactly what I would call art, but I guess you can call it "creative". Whatever floats your boat. Concerning the matter of suppressed creativity in music and the arts, there can be little argument against how public schools have consistently thrown out creative classes for analytical classes; however, there certainly isn't a decrease in the amount of people who are willing to show their crap on display in the place of art... Sometimes it seems that I can blow my nose and put its contents on display and someone will call THAT art too -- but I digress. The suppression of creation and initiative that Mike has spoken of deals with other aspects of life that are indeed meeting the sharp sword of government suppression; I have personal experiences and several colleagues and acquaintances that have met such physical suppression... Such is life, the hand of tyranny hangs deep. Sadly, the majority won't see what is happening until it is too late; the atrocities committed on the few are seldom taken account until the infringing power has enough momentum wherewith to bury the entire country -- this is the sequence of history.

Regurgitation and parroting words are just fine for fowl but not for human beings. One can see the results of government education; mindless, thoughtless drones hysterical about global warming, or genetically modified "Franken-food," or any other number of other scientifically baseless propaganda that happen to be the flavor of the day. Government, and its schools as a subset, must always inspire fear in its citizens, inspiring dependency on our politician masters. Students are simply fearful citizens in training. Those who can think and formulate solutions have no need to fear or depend on government.

It does seem the sodomite ( Qadesh ) mind set is so dependent upon socialism, they lack the skill sets to be independent. Bashing of the tradesmen, men and women who built our nation from the very opportunity they wish to destroy. Logan, it is good to see you back. Long live the Republic.
Semper Fi

Question! Question! Question!

Because kids appear to prefer gaming on hand-helds there is a huge lack of curiousity left in a terribly large part of your youth...and it is spilling into their young adult life as well. A. Gram