General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Witness responds to suggestion that Trayvon lied before getting shot: ‘That’s real retarded, sir’ [View all]tblue37
(65,666 posts)Math--at all lower levels--is foundational knowledge needed in order to learn higher math, which is itself a gateway to many major fields of study needed to move into lucrative careers.
But shorthand--and other such knowledge, like using a slide rule or an abacus--is not foundational for other essential kinds of learning.
Unlike shorthand, handling cursive is not obsolete. On the contrary, it is quite useful.
I strongly encourage my students who can't handle reading or writing in cursive to learn cursive simply because so many of their older professors will write everything in cursive, so the students who cannot read cursive end up not being able to make use of comments on their papers.
Furthermore, students who cannot write in cursive are at a real disadvantage when writing in-class essays or exams, or when taking notes, so it is a useful skill for them to master, not an obsolete one at all.
But some things need not be learned any more, and claiming that it is always better to acquire "more knowledge," without excluding from that generalization knowledge that is no longer worth the time or energy it takes to master it is silly.
BTW, I am a "Ma'am," not a "Sir."