Ivan Illich

Chris posted "Ivan Illich" in response to the 'helping' challenge of our matrix. Illich has written loads of critiques of Institutionalized education and medicine but I wanted, just quickly, to post something positive and practical that he writes:

The operation of a peer-matching network would be simple. The user would identify himself by name and address and describe the activity for which he sought a peer. A computer would send him back the names and addresses of all those who had inserted the same description. It is amazing that such a simple utility has never been used on a broad scale for publicly valued activity.
—Ivan Illich

This is currently being done in a number of areas such as organic farming and strawbale building etc. Imagine if such a centralized apprenticeship network existed? Imagine, also, if such apprenticeship were valued for its real educational value? How might this be seen as popular education?

Carolyn