This video…

will entertain you, engage you, inform you, and scare you [HT kottke.org]:

Money quote:

Horses aren’t unemployed now because they got lazy as a species, they’re unemployable. There’s little work a horse can do that do that pays for its housing and hay.

And many bright, perfectly capable humans will find themselves the new horse: unemployable through no fault of their own.

What does this mean for education? More specifically, what do we teach kids when loss of jobs is inevitable due to automation?

The only hopeful answer I can give is that we teach them how to think logically through math classes, how to communicate well through writing classes, and let them work on projects where they create and solve problems in a way that encompasses all subjects.

This is a tall order, but it’s necessary in a world where blue and white collared careers are being lost to computers–and will continue to be lost at an incredible rate.

The long game

I really like this video; it touches upon a lot of stuff: working hard, honing your craft, minding the long tail… all with a hint of Stoicism. Seneca would be so proud.

Upon viewing the video, I think one of the best takeaways is how long the masters of their crafts had to work to hone their skills and make breakthrough discoveries. My favorite part was when the filmmaker takes da Vinci’s work during his “amateur” years and reveals how it helped fulfill his “master” years. Very inspiring.

A good reminder about presentations

The following video should be watched periodically–especially by teachers or anyone who frequently shares information.

[HT: Maria Popova]