My problem with Thiel's logic is that he doesn't go far enough. If you've spent the past 12 years in the traditional education system you're ill equipped to forge your own path. If instead you've been figuring things out on your own for pretty much you're entire life, then by the time you reach college age you'll have the tools necessary to make the right decision for yourself.
I believe (and would love to see research around) that learning is a pull model. Traditional education works on a push model. This fundamental incongruence wastes decades of a person's most prime learning years. That's not counting all the other ills that come with the artificial environment of restricting immature people to interact primarily with other immature people (bullying, ostracization, self-confidence issues, depression, etc etc).
The model I plan to use with my own children is incredibly simple: do something productive 8 hours a day, every day. The set of productive activities is defined solely by their ability to justify why it's productive. That combined with good nutrition, emotionally supportive household, physical security give the building blocks and raw ingredients that will allow a person to achieve their full potential.
I believe (and would love to see research around) that learning is a pull model. Traditional education works on a push model. This fundamental incongruence wastes decades of a person's most prime learning years. That's not counting all the other ills that come with the artificial environment of restricting immature people to interact primarily with other immature people (bullying, ostracization, self-confidence issues, depression, etc etc).
The model I plan to use with my own children is incredibly simple: do something productive 8 hours a day, every day. The set of productive activities is defined solely by their ability to justify why it's productive. That combined with good nutrition, emotionally supportive household, physical security give the building blocks and raw ingredients that will allow a person to achieve their full potential.