After reading Michael's latest quote of Illich, I'm led to
believe that Michael's representation of Illich's thoughts
may not be exactly the same as the thoughts themselves...
Michael says that everything one needs to know is learned
outside of school - Illich did not say that (in any quotes
I saw), but suggests that anything one needs to learn CAN
be learned outside of school.  No one here would dispute
the second phraseology.
Most, or all, of us here would dispute the inference that
anything anyone needs to learn WOULD be learned outside of
school... Illich and Michael believe this would happen; I
strongly doubt it...
Illich seems to feel that the existing educational structure
has a hidden agenda or curriculum: That learning can only
happen in school.  I disagree; while "schools" do not 
disabuse this notion, neither do they actively foster it.
It is simply a misconception that people, in general, have;
much as many believe that science has all the answers, can
fix all ills, and supplies immutable facts.  That people 
believe such things is unfortunate, but if we spent time
debunking EVERY misconception people develop, there would be
time for little else...
Illich believes there is a distinction between learning and
education, or more accurately, that they are not inextricably
linked...  I don't think anyone here would disagree...
Illich seems to believe that people learn best when allowed 
to pursue the things in which they have an interest...  I
don't think anyone here would disagree.  He further believes
that this would be sufficient to their needs - I have
serious reservations on this point.  He feels that the
existing educational system is manipulated by various power
centers, governmental, financial, industrial, to further 
their own agendas... I'm sure that's true to various degrees,
and that they would LIKE to have a greater control... This
would obviously NOT be a good thing to encourage, and one
way of doing this is to maintain or expand the autonomy of
the educational system.
Michael and Illich believe that certification through the
educational system is a bad idea and that we could do without
it... I'm not sure that we could do without it, and I'm not
sure that society in general would ALLOW a system to function
which DIDN'T certify.  I see no indication that Illich 
extends this concept to other areas, but Michael says he does.
The same criticism applies; our society, which is 
technological, is not going to accept noncertification.  A
good many people WANT to be led; preferring that to taking 
the time and energy to understand and draw their own 
conclusions (they may say otherwise, but their actions imply
something different).  If a system of certification didn't
exist, someone would create one by acclaimation and make a
fortune with it...
Finally, Michael and Illich believe that one can have the
fruits of a technological society without certification of
knowledge or enforced education... I strongly disagree, as,
I suspect, do most people here.  I believe that we would end
up with a handful of technologically functional people, and
a vast number of nonfunctional people.  While this is the
case at present as well, it MUST change for the society to
move in a technological direction (which I consider to be
FORWARD).  The only way around this, imo, is the development 
of artificial intelligence (thinking machines) "who" can 
understand FOR us and care for our needs.  I'm not sure I 
care for that alternative!  If they decide we're all a bunch 
of deadbeat, pain in the transistors, they may decide to cut 
our rations...          ;-)
At bottom is the philosophy of the individual vs group...
Illich is firmly on the side of the individual, and this is
certainly understandable for a person trained as a cleric.
Their focus is not on the here-and-now in the FIRST place,
and is MUCH more concerned with the individual, soul, and
what comes after for the INDIVIDUAL (I'm speaking mainly of 
the Christian view here, as Illich is/was a priest).  On the 
contrary, society is concerned about the good of the whole, 
and what happens to the SOCIETY after...  This fundamental
difference in philosophy is largely irreconcilable, imo..
So...... Illich presents some valid observations, but, imo,
draws some flawed conclusions from them...
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