An Essay for the New York Times Open Letter Contest ## The Letter Dear students of the 21st Century, We are students by default. However, we can only be learners by choice. Students attend school and listen to their teachers. Learners actively learn what matters for the future. Explore World Economic Forum (WEF) and McKinsey's reports on the future of jobs. Those vitally important skills needed for the future -- structured problem solving, digital literacy, systems thinking, curiosity & lifelong learning -- Are they even present in your education? Your education doesn't mean the school you go to. Unfortunately, according to Gatto, oftentimes education and schooling are mutually exclusive. So, as Allen Grant puts it -- don't let school interfere with your education. Take authorship of your own education. First, ask yourself the big questions: What do you want with your life? Beyond "finishing school", what next? Following the default path without a clear sense of direction is risky in a turbulent and constantly-changing world, especially as artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping human capabilities. "Some of the smartest humans in the world are struggling to create tests that A.I. systems can’t pass." The world that we grew up in is quickly receding into the distance while the future is approaching faster than we thought. On the other side, our world desperately needs globally competent learners to tackle urgent challenges facing humanity -- climate change, regional conflicts, inequality, and technological development. If your school fails to empower you to become a change-maker, empower yourself. Second, gather relevant information. You are the information you consume. Much of what we receive daily is mere noise and manipulation. What exactly is it that you want? Why do you think it's important? As the provocative Severance line asks -- is it "important because it actually is or because you're saying it is?” Beware of those things that everyone deems important. College, money, fame. Hold on to what you are truly excited about. Finally, develop the skills and knowledge required to get you there. Employers expect 39% of workers’ core skills to change by 2030, according to WEF. In the post-industrial revolution age, the most important and timeless skills are always thinking skills -- information-gathering, processing, and decision-making. Structured thinking, analytical thinking, and systems thinking are among the skills schools often suppress but are essential for solving real-life complex problems that you don't get on test papers. Minerva University's _An Introduction to Habits of Mind and Foundational Concepts_ is a good place to start. Spend less time worrying about the next test, and spend more time preparing yourself for the freedom and responsibilities you'll face after graduation. Schools often fail to answer the question of "what next" for you. Life truly begins when you step beyond the classroom. You may be a student in school, but you must be a learner throughout life. The hard truth? Most schools are not designed to provide education at all and don't care about your future. And that's exactly why you need to assume responsibility for your own. It's never too late. ## Sources Allen, Grant. _Post-Prandial Philosophy_. Chatto & Windus, 1894. _An Introduction to Habits of Mind and Foundational Concepts_. Minerva University, https://www.minerva.edu/public/media/enrollment-center/Minerva-HCs-Intro.pdf. Dondi, Marco, et al. _Defining the Skills Citizens Will Need in the Future World of Work_. McKinsey & Company, https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/defining-the-skills-citizens-will-need-in-the-future-world-of-work. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025. Gatto, John Taylor. Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling. New Society Publishers, 1992. Roose, Kevin. “When A.I. Passes This Test, Look Out.” _The New York Times_, 23 Jan. 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/technology/ai-test-humanitys-last-exam.html. _Severance_, created by Dan Erickson, season 1, episode 6, Apple TV+, 2022. _The Future of Jobs Report 2025._ World Economic Forum, 7 Jan. 2025, www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025. ## Artist's Statement *In 400 words or fewer, please tell us why and how you created your open letter.* When it struck me, that my school is not able to provide the education I want, or an education that prepares me for the future, fear washed over me. It was just a terrible, terrible moment for me to go through, and it did take me a few days to recover from it. I believe I am one of the few people among my year group who sees this reality. I tried talking about it with my friends around me, but to no avail. As a result, I'd like to use this platform to share it with more people and reach a broader audience. I wrote this letter in one go, because everything is already in my mind (all the sources I used I have actually read them before) and I just need a chance to put them together. And when I finished, the word count miraculously stopped at 497 -- without any prior planning. And I thought, this is it. I'm not changing anything anymore. And voilà. ## Backlogs [[Education, Learning, & School Publication]] - [[A good education makes students feel like they're there to create history]] - [[The world need global-competent individuals to tackle global issues]] - [[A strong why is crucial for passion in education]] - [[上学是手段，受教育是目的]] - [[Most students do not possess an understanding of the meaning of school]] - [[Learning is one of the most essential skills for the 21st Century]]