Chapter 1: The Davos Agenda

The World Economic Forum's annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland, is currently underway, where leading thinkers from around the globe are engaged in discussions that will shape our future. A prominent focus of this year's agenda is the reform of education systems.

Juan David Aristizábal, the Co-Chair of Davos 2019 and founder of Todos por la Educación, expressed his vision by stating,

“One of the things that I want to do here is demonstrate that we don’t merely need to modify the education system; we must revolutionize it.”

Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, emphasized this urgency during his address at Davos 2018, warning,

“Education is a significant challenge. If we do not transform our teaching methods, we will face serious issues in 30 years.”

Minouche Shafik, director of the London School of Economics, shared a similar perspective by advocating for the cultivation of:

“soft skills, creative skills, and research skills—the ability to gather information, synthesize it, and create something valuable.”

As we absorb these insights through various media, many of us nod in agreement, recognizing the pressing need for change. Although I am not attending Davos (I wasn't invited), I propose my own modest yet potentially transformative idea for education reform: the use of Venn diagrams.

Chapter 2: A Cinematic Illustration

This concept finds an intriguing illustration in the 2000 comedy film Road Trip. The story follows a group of students who skip classes for a cross-country adventure. As they return, the protagonist, Josh, frets about an upcoming midterm exam he hasn’t prepared for. Just when he feels hopeless, his friend Rubin comes to the rescue:

Rubin: What’s your midterm on?

Josh: Ancient Philosophy.

Rubin: I could teach you ancient philosophy in 46 hours.

Josh: Really?

Rubin: Absolutely. I could teach Japanese to a monkey in 46 hours. The secret is relating to the material.

Rubin's approach is genius. He knows Josh loves pro wrestling, so he likens Socrates to Vince McMahon, the CEO of WWE, to help Josh connect with the content. By drawing parallels between famous wrestlers and philosophers, he crafts a relatable framework that allows Josh to grasp ancient philosophy uniquely and effectively.

This scenario illustrates how Rubin blends concept A (Ancient Philosophy) with concept B (Professional Wrestling) to create a personalized learning method (Concept C).

Chapter 3: Making Statistics Engaging

Consider another example from education. Picture yourself back in high school, and your teacher announces a statistics lesson. You grimace at the sight of a dull textbook. This experience is all too familiar and often discouraging for students.

Research shows alarming statistics about high school education: only 3% of adults believe students are ready for the real world, and 40% of students feel disengaged.

Now, imagine instead of a textbook, the renowned athlete David Beckham enters the classroom and proposes a game where students assume roles of different football teams. They analyze player statistics and strategize trades, turning a mundane lesson into an engaging activity. Suddenly, students are learning statistics without even realizing it, thanks to the teacher’s innovative approach.

Chapter 4: Bridging Music and Blockchain

In my quest for a new educational approach, I authored Music On The Chain, which seeks to explain blockchain technology through the lens of arts and popular culture.

Last year, I learned about the Wu-Tang Clan's unique release strategy for their album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, which was auctioned to a single buyer, Martin Shkreli. This incident highlighted systemic issues in the music industry, prompting me to explore how blockchain could provide solutions.

This exploration began as a simple blog post and evolved into a comprehensive book that aims to make blockchain relatable through music. It discusses various topics, including the Wu-Tang Clan's auction, parallels between Harry Potter's Voldemort and distributed databases, and Taylor Swift's advocacy for fan engagement.

Jack Ma once said,

“We have to teach something unique, so that a machine can never catch up with us.”

If you were to ask someone on the street about their interest in blockchain, most would be indifferent. However, if you ask about their favorite musical artist, they’re likely to respond with enthusiasm.

This connection offers a pathway to discuss current challenges artists face, such as piracy and fair royalties, and to introduce innovative technology that could enhance fan engagement and support artists.

If this resonates with you, I encourage you to read Music on the Chain and join the conversation about the future of creative technology.

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