The "ED" of my title is "THE EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT", which "went byzantine" in the 1920's and 1930's. Why? Because leading Educators wished to imitate the Corporations, which "went byzantine" first.
Why? Because the "ruling philosophy" became "you don't really need to know anything about the product -- only how to manage its production". But this alientated top management from workers-on-the-line involved in production. So a HIERARCHY of CORPOCRATS filled in "this vacuum", each descending level knowing a little more about production.
And the consequences for EDUCATION were even worse. In imitation, the "ruling Educational philosophy" became "you don't need to know the subject you're teaching -- mathematics, science, English, history, whatever -- merely HOW TO TEACH as the Educators conceived this". Unlike the production line, this corrupted the "educational line". Then why the hierarchy of EDUCRATS above teachers-on-the-line? Because "that's where the money is"! ED GOES BYZANTINE!
So the System worked against genuine education!
By 1992, organizational experts were talking changing the corporate hierarchy into a "web" of workers or thinkers who could COMPLEMENT each other. And this structure seems to have taken hold in various businesses. I had been on the lookout for ideas like this, for I believe it is the natural form for EDUCATION.
And the model of the cyber-WEB can further these developments.
However, there two other lessons I hope you learn from this.
One concerns the HYPOCRISY of THE CONSWERVATIVES who rail against the Bureaucracy of The Federal Government. Governments have always had some bureaucracy and some of it is necessary. But it was never needed as much in the Corporations or in the Educational System. And it might not have spread as much in EDUCATION without the CORPORATE MODEL to follow. But is any of this noted? It's like the old caveat, "Sure he's an SOB. But he's our SOB!" Here, "Sure, they're bureaucrats. But they're our bureaucrats."
We know they could have been thinned out because we'e just gone through 10 years of "down-sizing", cleaning our Middle Management -- thanks to the Computer and its Peripherals.
So the other lesson is that this was predicted more than 50 years ago and could have started back then.
In 1948, the American mathematician, Norbert
Wiener (x-y) published Cybernetics,which eventually inspired the buzz-word "cyberspace". Wiener
created the word "cybernetics" from the Greek for "governor", as in a device for a steam engine, or
"steersman" for a ship. Cybernetics, Wiener told us, is the study of information and control
in humans and machines, with automation as a subfield. (The Media credit the term, "cyber-",
not Wiener, but to a cornball scifi writer -- coarse Meedius nivir cud reed 2 wel enyways. And dislike
some homework as much as other Lil Darlins.)
In January, 1950, Esther and I went to hear Wiener talk about this at The New York Academy of Medicine. Wiener warned us about the downsizing of the 90's, which cost the jobs of so many "white-collars" and "blue-collars", and especially those in "middle management". Wiener took his message to labor unions, chambers of commerce, politicians, reporters, etc. -- but was roundly laughed at!
So, when it finally kicked in -- SURPRISE! But, had he been heeded, "safety-nets" could have been readied. And this period of modernization, increased productivity, and prosperity could have started years ago.
WE WERE WARNED! But in a byzantine organization, WARNINGS -- and BENEFITS -- can ONLY TRICKLE DOWN.