Blabbering old fools

A financial discussion board breaks out in one of its occasional asides. They are always longer and juicier, but rarely interesting. This one is typical: a discussion of Eastern European politics by a mixture of Poles, Russians, Germans and Jews. In their real lives these men are accomplished professionals: traders, bankers, industrialists, real estate developers. There is even a jeweler. But when it comes to politics and history, they are all blabbering fools repeating whatever propaganda their elementary school has taught them and whatever prejudice they sucked with their mother's milk. There isn't much we can do about mothers, but spare a thought for education. Would it be nice if it actually taught us something? Taught as in -- delivered facts?