GPS- Global Public Square

Recently I had the opportunity to view a Sunday morning talk show.  Without a television, I believe I stay pretty well informed through internet articles.  I prefer to read my information, rather than watch it, and I have no appreciation for pharmaceutical advertisements, but this interview caught my attention.  Bill and Melinda Gates were guests on GPS.

Although the interview was promoted to focus on the rate of advancement of technology, the small portion of the interview I saw leaned more toward their foundation efforts.   Bill and Melinda Gates tie education with income, progress, and advancement.  I think learning is essential to living, but in this country much of our education system amounts to programming and Bill Gates is the perfect example for the success of dropping out before the programming got him . . .

This thought of course, took on a life of it's own in my head, as I contemplated the fact that most of the early successful entrepreneurs that really changed the world were not highly educated, but they were avid readers.  Many of the great composers were not men of higher education, either.  Although Mr. Gates attended Harvard, and I went to community college, I'm guessing we probably have about the same number of credits . . . As I considered my own life's work, I realized most of the knowledge I rely upon was gained by independent study.

In reading about Bill Gates at Wikipedia, something definitely stood out about this genius.  He was born into financial comfort, which may have afforded him the opportunity and luxury to avoid public high school.  At the age of 13 he enrolled and attended an exclusive preparatory school instead.  He was allowed and encouraged to follow his natural curiosity and develop skills based upon the talent given to him by our Creator.  He was even excused from math class and allowed to pursue his interest on the Teletype model 33 with a block of GE time.

Although he and Melinda made their pitch for education, he is "the proof in the pudding" that we should actually learn the basic reading, writing, and 'rithemtic, then move toward perfecting our talents.  Until public education became a controlling business of the last century, students were not mass programmed.  Abraham Lincoln studied law on his own.  In America, even doctors were trained as apprentices, rather than "schooled" until the 19th century.  People pursued knowledge in the areas of their talents and interests, rather than paying for a piece of paper and a license or certification to "make money."

One fact in the article really leapt out at me that I mentioned in a previous paragraph.  He was excused from math class to pursue his interest in technology.  I don't believe money is the sign of success, but I do believe Mr. Gates had gained enough math knowledge by 13 to now be able to count his millions to a billion, plus.  The more I read about him, the more I believe he would not be who he is today, had he followed the crowd in pursuit of a college degree.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says YHWH . . .  Prophet of Holy Scripture