loveletter to camp

I often say things like, "I hate school" or "School is bad" or "I love camp" and "Camp is the only thing people really need". And people don't usually have too strong of a reaction. They might laugh nervously because "Oh Andy loves camp so of course he hates school haha he's just like a kid."

But I'm serious. I really mean it. School is bad and camp is something that teaches you how to live a meaningful life and be in a community and be in the world and not hate yourself and everyone and everything around you. 

School doesn't prepare you for that. Oh but well how will people learn things? How will society run? We all know that an overwhelming majority of what we learn in school is not relevant in everyday life. I went to teacher school. I was trained to be a teacher. I was told in a class that our model of education is based on the idea that you go to school to learn skills that make you marketable to companies. It's the human capital model. That's it. Education makes workers more efficient and productive. That's the model. The first time I learned this I thought it was ridiculous and it has only become more ridiculous as I've gotten older. My worth as a human being isn't dependent on my efficiency and productivity. I'm a person with thoughts and feelings who wants to make meaningful connections to the people around me. That's why people like camp. Because it emphasizes those things and makes people feel human. 

I really truly believe that in all the silliness and chaos and fun of the summer, some really important work is going on. Identities are being shaped. Everyone is building a narrative about who they are and what the world is and what the relationship between the two is. And I'd like to think that at it's best, camp celebrates you for being you and being a part of a community. We take whatever we get and we make it work as best we can. 

We're outside. We're moving around. We're in the water and in the sun and the woods. We're talking and making and building and playing. I guess at some point some very serious and dour people came along and said that none of these things matter and that only serious things matter and the way we know things are important is because we don't want to do them and we make ourselves do them. School values compliance. And, to be sure, camp values compliance as well to the degree that things stay organized and safe but there's no one telling you that what you take away from camp is right or wrong or better or worse than what anyone else takes away from camp. Whatever experience you create and share in is what you get. And that's life. Sorta.