What They Don’t Teach You In School

• Lori Palminteri
• Uncategorized
• August 25, 2015

What they don’t teach you in school is that you will use next to nothing you learned at a desk post graduation.  They don’t teach you how to get a job, what to say on interviews, or how to lie on your resume.

What they don’t teach you in school is how to deal with psychopaths who you will likely work with or for at some point in your life.  There’s no class on how to deal with them when they act like children, lying, and playing ridiculous passive aggressive games, and sometimes straight up delusional.  They don’t tell you bullies in the real world are far worse than any kid on a playground.

What they don’t teach you in school is how to be fiscally responsible or how easily you can fuck up your credit when you’re young.  They don’t teach you about the absurd interest rates on your college loans.  They don’t teach you how the economy works. They don’t teach you how to survive on budget of dimes, because after taxes, your take home isn’t much more than minimum wage.

What they don’t teach you in school is the warning signs of your car dying.  Or really anything about cars.

What they don’t teach you in school is that school is not designed to make you smarter, but rather to train you to be a good citizen.  They don’t teach you how to think for yourself.  They don’t want you to do that.

What they don’t teach you in school is no one gives a shit what fancy college you went to after you’re 24.  No one. Gives.  A shit.  If you’re a millennial, every one assumes you’re good with computers, incompetent at life, and entitled (most likely, you are!).

What they don’t teach you in school is the meaning of life.  The meaning of life is simple, yet depressing, so most will never accept it.  But if you do accept there is no meaning, and you are not special, and every one dies, as will the Earth, and it will not be remembered,  and neither will you, you will find yourself lost in a desperate hopelessness, but the other side is tragically cool, and you’ll be wiser for accepting this.

What they don’t teach you in school is how to be in relationships, be it romantic, family or friends.  People assume you will pick this up.  You might not.  You are a borderline sociopath.  I know this because pretty much every one is.  You are selfish.  Acknowledging this will make you less of a dick, somehow.  You will be an asshole to every one you love at some point.  Every one you love will disappoint you.  School will not teach you how to handle this.  Apologize.  Realize you are flawed.  Realize they are flawed.  Don’t be in relationships with people who don’t apologize.  They are toxic.

What they don’t teach you in school is money is not the root of all evil.  Money is the root to freedom, at least for women it is.  In places where money isn’t worshiped, women are raped and treated as cattle.  You’re not a feminist unless you are first a capitalist.  When money is more powerful than muscles, women can win.

What they don’t teach you in school, is that every one alive today has learned more from television than school.  Television is lies.  Almost every thing you know is a lie.

What they don’t teach you in school, is that your parents were just kids when they had you (no matter what their age).  And they were bound to fuck up.  So unless they were really horrid, you should forgive them.  They didn’t have a clue.  They tried.  If you went to school, they probably did a half way decent job.

What they don’t teach you in school is if you’re unfortunate to grow old, the state will rape you of your life savings and treat you like a sub-human in a nursing home.  You might die before 60 of cancer and you might be better off, so make it count.

What they don’t teach you in school is how to forgive other people, or more importantly, yourself.  People fuck up all the time.  It seems complicated, but it’s not.  We’re human, and we are weak.  Get over it, and go on.

What they don’t teach you in school is that society will continue to push you towards a life of meaningless existence, if you let it.  If you resist, you will be labeled as insane (unless you make a lot of money).  There’s no winning life, so you might as well do whatever it is brings you joy.  Do less of what makes you unhappy and more of what makes you happy.  Sometimes it is that simple.  Don’t make excuses.

What they don’t teach you in school is that all religions are an absolutely absurd delusion which thrive on the humans fear of death.  It’s okay to be afraid of death.  It’s okay.  It’s okay to have faith, but just accept the fact that you’re probably wrong.

What they don’t teach you in school is at some point in your life you’re going to be head over heels in love with some one who doesn’t feel that way back.  And at another point, some one is going to love you and you will not reciprocate.  Both sides are awful.  It’s not your fault.  It’s not their fault.  Feelings are like the weather.  No one can really predict them or control them, but you’ll probably want to fuck the weather woman or man at some point.

What they don’t teach you in school is you can learn so much about yourself from your ex lovers.  When the cracks in your heart are filled with cement, have a lunch and (without defending yourself) ask them how they see you.  You will learn a lot about yourself that will both make you laugh and want to scream.

What they don’t teach you in school is that there is no such thing as a gateway drug.  Some people just have a desire to fuck with minds, mostly because their minds are fucking with them.  They were always going to get caught up in a substance.  The problem is with the individual, not the substance.

What they don’t teach you in school is the real key to happiness is living in the present.  It’s a simple concept which only children are good at doing.  Spend time with kids, you can learn more from them than most adults (unless you’re a pedophile, then you should kill yourself, seriously, they won’t tell you to kill yourself in school, but if you’re sexually attracted to kids, kill yourself).

What they don’t teach you in school is that some one you know, and likely love (possibly you!), is going to go through a serious depression.  If it’s you, hang in there.  Go to the beach.  Make a big change.  Don’t give up.  It’s it’s some you love, don’t go trying to “cheer” them up all the time.  Let them go through it, but check up on them.  Text them a uplifting song lyric.  It will help.

What they don’t teach you in school is that the world is going to change you.  This, however, doesn’t mean you don’t have a say in who you become.

What they don’t teach you in school is that parts of you are going to die as you get older.  It’s going to be horrible, just as your actual death will be.  Be sure that whatever replaces those parts are really you, and not parts borrowed from others.  You can never find happiness if you try to be someone else.

What they don’t teach you in school is how to manage your finances.  Rent, car payment, electric bill, cable bill, etc.  You just have to not be an idiot, which is difficult for most.  You will not ever be ready for big life changing events: be it a baby, moving, starting over.  If your gut tells you to do it, do it.  They don’t teach you this in school.

What they don’t teach you in school is that completely siding with either the democratic party or republican party is idiotic.  Neither party gives a shit about you.  Both parties are corrupt.  Don’t trust them.  Don’t trust the news either (they might teach you this in school if you major in media studies).

What they don’t teach you in school is your guidance counselor is probably a fucking idiot.  Actually, most of your teachers are probably fucking idiots.  Don’t be dismayed by this.  Use it as inspiration.  If they can make it, you can make it.

What they don’t teach you in school is the world is as terrible as is it is amazing.  Outside of that very mediocre institution you’re stuck in for your youth, are horrible institutions which you may work in and go mad, and people who will make you hate humanity.  But there’s also creative, and kind people.  There are magical places, like Hawaii, or even a local park.  School can’t teach you where to find these people or places which will resonate with you.  School will reprimand the day dreams.  They will not teach you that those day dreams, those people and places you long to be with and go to are far more important than your homework.  But that being said, you should always do your homework because if you want to accomplish anything at all you need to learn self discipline.

Discipline they will teach you in school.  But self discipline, well that… they can’t teach that in school.