Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Popular education in Sweden: much more than you wanted to know (2022)

lesswrong.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 91 posts

Re: Popular education in Sweden: much more than you wanted to know (2022)

#21

Post by froding »

pengstrom wrote: post #10

Unfortunately, the current conservative/nationalistic government has been trying to get it shut down. They use the guide of "tough on crime" of course, but they have been opposing money for people of lesser means for a long, long time.

Sure, this is true and I disagree with it. But an observer should note (and which was not mentioned in the article), that there has been scandal upon scandal of the funds being given out for these study circles ending up in Islamist or even foreign hands.

Studieförbund are great, but they have to properly track where the money goes - check receipts, do random inspections to see how many people are truly attending, etc.

Re: Popular education in Sweden: much more than you wanted to know (2022)

#22

Post by emj »

null_object wrote: post #16

This gives a really distorted image of the real Sweden I know. 99% of kids in real Sweden are definitely not hanging out at these educational centers: in this massively conformist society (especially for teenagers), the kids are getting hold of beer as soon as they can, driving cars to the nearest petrol station or out-of-town car parks, and burning tire marks in the asphalt. This sort of article is just window-dress…

99% are a lot; there would be a constant mist of rubber if they all left scorch marks on the asphalt. I grew up in the tail end of what is described, not a part of it but took advantage of it. I believe the author grew up when that movement did have a lot of money and engagement, that then faltered in the economic down turn of the 90ies and with the down fall of the Swedish farmers party.

It is still strong, but not as extreme as it used to be.

Re: Popular education in Sweden: much more than you wanted to know (2022)

#23

Post by xpe »

null_object wrote: post #16

This gives a really distorted image of the real Sweden I know. 99% of kids in real Sweden are definitely not hanging out at these educational centers: in this massively conformist society (especially for teenagers), the kids are getting hold of beer as soon as they can, driving cars to the nearest petrol station or out-of-town car parks, and burning tire marks in the asphalt. This sort of article is just window-dress…

I'm interested in your perspective. What is "real" Sweden to you? Rural? Urban? Something else? Can you share a little about where you live? Your age or life phase at least?

P.S. A bit of direct but constructive criticism: the problem with saying 99% is that is comes across as overly specific, even simplistic. It begs the question: have you quantified your observations? Most people don't. Unfortunately, this makes it hard to reason statistically about variations in different perspectives.

Re: Popular education in Sweden: much more than you wanted to know (2022)

#24

Post by orwin »

null_object wrote: post #16

This gives a really distorted image of the real Sweden I know. 99% of kids in real Sweden are definitely not hanging out at these educational centers: in this massively conformist society (especially for teenagers), the kids are getting hold of beer as soon as they can, driving cars to the nearest petrol station or out-of-town car parks, and burning tire marks in the asphalt. This sort of article is just window-dress…

I think you have a skewed views of 'kids these days' if you think they're getting beer a soon as they can.

Data will tell you that alcohol consumption in Europe is down compared to my generation (millennial). They are also more engaged than previous generation, especially compared to the silent generation who basically let their elders kill popular education (I hear a lot of 'OK boomer', but let it be said that boomers fought to conserve our rights in my country, at least in their youth).

Anyway.

Re: Popular education in Sweden: much more than you wanted to know (2022)

#25

Post by xpe »

What can we read to get a fair overview of Swedish culture with regards to intellectual curiousity, education, conformism (I've seen this claimed but have no firsthand experience), and so on?

Here is one starting point: "Small Facts and Large Issues: The Anthropology of Contemporary Scandinavian Society" : https://www.jstor.org/stable/2155886 ... I haven't read it yet. I like the anthropological point of view though.

Re: Popular education in Sweden: much more than you wanted to know (2022)

#26

Post by speed_spread »

null_object wrote: post #16

This gives a really distorted image of the real Sweden I know. 99% of kids in real Sweden are definitely not hanging out at these educational centers: in this massively conformist society (especially for teenagers), the kids are getting hold of beer as soon as they can, driving cars to the nearest petrol station or out-of-town car parks, and burning tire marks in the asphalt. This sort of article is just window-dress…

I also prefer to think of rural Sweden as one big Simon Stalenhag painting. But I've seen enough of Canada's own boondocks to have an excellent idea of what you're describing, unfortunately. I just replace Chryslers with Volvos and Molson with, uh, Falcon?

Re: Popular education in Sweden: much more than you wanted to know (2022)

#27

Post by bazoom42 »

leobg wrote: post #19
bazoom42 wrote: post #6

> Bildung etymologically refers to shaping yourself in the image (das Bild) of God Is this really true? The liked wikipedia page does not seem to support that.

“Bild” is indeed “image”. Though one also says “bilden” to mean “generate”, “create”, or “consist of”. For instance, one might us it to say that two people “bilden” a team (i.e. make up a team).

It was the “image of God” part I doubted.

Re: Popular education in Sweden: much more than you wanted to know (2022)

#28

Post by wahnfrieden »

xpe wrote: post #25

What can we read to get a fair overview of Swedish culture with regards to intellectual curiousity, education, conformism (I've seen this claimed but have no firsthand experience), and so on? Here is one starting point: "Small Facts and Large Issues: The Anthropology of Contemporary Scandinavian Society" : https://www.jstor.org/stable/2155886 ... I haven't read it yet. I like the anthropological point of view though.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/3791704

Re: Popular education in Sweden: much more than you wanted to know (2022)

#29

Post by rhn_mk1 »

somewhereoutth wrote: post #3

Excellent article, and a very interesting look into how a society may accelerate its development. Perhaps maker spaces are born of a similar ethos, though of course very stem driven. Unfortunately it seems that as formal education has become more institutionalised and more necessary as a marker for employability, doing anything remotely 'bookish' in your free time has become almost definitively 'uncool'. A shame.

It sounds like you're comparing the situation outlined in the article to somewhere you're familiar with when you say 'bookish' is 'uncool'. Where is that?

Re: Popular education in Sweden: much more than you wanted to know (2022)

#30

Post by leobg »

bazoom42 wrote: post #27
leobg wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“Bild” is indeed “image”. Though one also says “bilden” to mean “generate”, “create”, or “consist of”. For instance, one might us it to say that two people “bilden” a team (i.e. make up a team).

It was the “image of God ” part I doubted.

I know. I’m saying it may not have anything to do with an “image” at all. More with “composing oneself”. But I haven’t looked up the etymology.
Post reply on HN