If spelling is rong, I don’t want to be rite.

Today I discovered the UNC journalism school has done away with spelling as a journalism test topic.

<Link removed since the source removed my cross-link. Two can play that game.>

This strikes me as concerning in many ways. I’m having trouble limiting myself to just a few key observations. As a lifelong management and communication professional, however, here are my most urgent thoughts.

Is the US now inflating a Lower Education bubble?

While we have our eye on the higher education debt bubble that just passed $1 Trillion, the average cost of K-12 private schooling is up 26% in just the last 4 years. And Americans are taking out a record amount in loans to pay for it.

"I feel" does not cut it in today's complex world

Recent conversations remind me of a troubling point. We're in an age dominated by people who begin arguments on virtually every topic with, "Well, I feel..."

This poisonous phrase increasingly passes for valid critical thinking. Such thinking is especially true in America.

The Benevolence of the Aristocrats

People who cite history need to display at least a veneer of intellectual honesty when referencing historical arguments. This is particularly true in a modern America, where much of our population is ignorant of history beyond last week.

Interactivity, Relevancy, Immediacy

Fifteen years ago, someone attending a talk would expect a speaker to stand up and deliver 45 minutes to an hour of speech, with a few minutes for questions at the end. Attendees didn’t expect too much interactivity, relevancy or immediacy regarding their own concerns. Now, EVERYONE expects that.