I just watched a "Book of Secrets" episode about West Point Academy. It's interesting that they're happy to tell everyone about how the students/soldiers are tested daily to think critically and that they spend a whole semester on Combat Leadership with a focus on explaining why missions are necessary, since soldiers are increasingly demanding such information.
My problem is that one of the oldest traditions is making students/soldiers memorize obscure answers to random questions and other such, well, nonsense found in a book (sorry, I cannot recall the name of said tome). Now, I get that there is probably some meaning that they will never share with the outside world, and it's probably just some big inside joke, but as a person who opposes the cumpulsory memorization of ANYTHING, I just wonder where the line is drawn. When is a student allowed to say "this is stupid"? I mean, I can also buy the idea that it helps train the students/soldiers into mentally challenging themselves, but why not let them memorize the Periodic Table or the birthdays of the Presidents...at least then they can put such knowledge to use outside of a West Point Alumni meeting.
My problem is that one of the oldest traditions is making students/soldiers memorize obscure answers to random questions and other such, well, nonsense found in a book (sorry, I cannot recall the name of said tome). Now, I get that there is probably some meaning that they will never share with the outside world, and it's probably just some big inside joke, but as a person who opposes the cumpulsory memorization of ANYTHING, I just wonder where the line is drawn. When is a student allowed to say "this is stupid"? I mean, I can also buy the idea that it helps train the students/soldiers into mentally challenging themselves, but why not let them memorize the Periodic Table or the birthdays of the Presidents...at least then they can put such knowledge to use outside of a West Point Alumni meeting.
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