quote:
peer pressure can override that - learning isn't "cool"
Which is a flaw in the current education system.
Put the exact same people in the right environment and they'll not only find it cool, they'll be bubbling with enthusiasm and curiosity.
(Of course, what that environment is depends on the people involved.)
I'd also not say the problem is broader than just education - the problem is that education is not broad enough. (In that, "education" shouldn't be a distinct thing that happens for a while, it should be a general foundation to society, (if I'm making any sense at all?))