Freddie DeBoer - The Cult of Smart
- jeanne7629
- May 30
- 1 min read
Updated: Jun 6
This conversation between Iona Italia and Freddie deBoer challenged some long-held assumptions about education, intelligence, and success. A few surprising facts stayed with me, like the idea that class size doesn’t significantly affect student performance, or that academic “high achievers” are often identifiable before they even start school...
DeBoer pushes back against the idea that teachers or schools alone can close these gaps (a point that feels both sobering and strangely relieving). But what really stuck with me was his suggestion that maybe there isn’t a policy lever we can pull to fix this. That’s a hard idea to sit with. Especially for someone like me, who naturally wants to improve broken systems. If policy can’t solve it, could we try something outside the system? Or should we imagine a different definition of success altogether, that isn't as closely linked with academic success?
What I appreciated most was how Iona held space for disagreement - gently, openly, and with respect. She brought nuance to the conversation, offering a vision of meritocracy that’s broader and more inclusive, one that recognises intelligence not just as a tool for personal gain, but as something we need to tackle complex global challenges.
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