Higher Education (novel)
Encyclopedia
Higher Education is a 1995 science fiction
novel by Charles Sheffield
and Jerry Pournelle
. It is the first in a series, published by Tor Books
in their Jupiter line.
has become a woefully inefficient bureaucratized
nation. The public school system is primarily interested in promoting self-esteem
rather than learning
. For example, the vast majority of public high school graduates are illiterate, and end up in "the pool"; an endless crowd of unemployable youths depending on government assistance or crime
for survival. The book is told from the perspective of the main character, a high school
student named Rick who quickly finds himself expelled
after a practical joke goes wrong.
. The book follows his progress through an initial grueling examination period on Earth, initial training on an asteroid in a high orbit
of Earth, and through an apprenticeship
on another training facility in the asteroid belt. After proving himself, Rick is recruited to
join a secret program to infiltrate and subvert Earth's education systems away from its current initiative-deadening pandering to the lowest common denominator.
of the novel. He is a high-school student who is forced to take a job mining asteroids after being expelled from school.
Turkey Gossage is Rick's instructor on the asteroid in Earth orbit. He is tough, unforgiving and unyielding.
, socialism
, federally managed education, and cultural attitudes about individual responsibility
, particularly concerning children and young adults. The novel has a distinctly libertarian
tone, which is typical of both Sheffield and Pournelle's work, and certainly a common theme throughout speculative sci-fi in general.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by Charles Sheffield
Charles Sheffield
Charles Sheffield , was an English-born mathematician, physicist and science fiction author. He had been a President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and of the American Astronautical Society....
and Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....
. It is the first in a series, published by Tor Books
Tor Books
Tor Books is one of two imprints of Tom Doherty Associates LLC, based in New York City. It is noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles. Tom Doherty Associates also publishes mainstream fiction, mystery, and occasional military history titles under its Forge imprint. The company was founded...
in their Jupiter line.
Plot introduction
The novel starts in a future dystopian earth where the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
has become a woefully inefficient bureaucratized
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
nation. The public school system is primarily interested in promoting self-esteem
Self-esteem
Self-esteem is a term in psychology to reflect a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame: some would distinguish how 'the self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, the...
rather than learning
Learning
Learning is acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences and may involve synthesizing different types of information. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals and some machines. Progress over time tends to follow learning curves.Human learning...
. For example, the vast majority of public high school graduates are illiterate, and end up in "the pool"; an endless crowd of unemployable youths depending on government assistance or crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
for survival. The book is told from the perspective of the main character, a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
student named Rick who quickly finds himself expelled
Expulsion (academia)
Expulsion or exclusion refers to the permanent removal of a student from a school system or university for violating that institution's rules. Laws and procedures regarding expulsion vary between countries and states.-State sector:...
after a practical joke goes wrong.
Plot summary
Since expulsion means that Rick's family will no longer be able to claim their welfare bonus, Rick begins looking for a job. One of his former teachers encourages him to get a job for the Vanguard Mining corporation, whose primary financial interest is in space mining of asteroids in the asteroid beltAsteroid belt
The asteroid belt is the region of the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets...
. The book follows his progress through an initial grueling examination period on Earth, initial training on an asteroid in a high orbit
Orbit
In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...
of Earth, and through an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
on another training facility in the asteroid belt. After proving himself, Rick is recruited to
join a secret program to infiltrate and subvert Earth's education systems away from its current initiative-deadening pandering to the lowest common denominator.
Characters
Rick is the primary protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the novel. He is a high-school student who is forced to take a job mining asteroids after being expelled from school.
Turkey Gossage is Rick's instructor on the asteroid in Earth orbit. He is tough, unforgiving and unyielding.
Authors Message
Much of the book is a thinly veiled criticism against current public policy concepts like centralizationCentralization
Centralisation, or centralization , is the process by which the activities of an organisation, particularly those regarding planning and decision-making, become concentrated within a particular location and/or group....
, socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, federally managed education, and cultural attitudes about individual responsibility
Individualism
Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual". Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance while opposing most external interference upon one's own...
, particularly concerning children and young adults. The novel has a distinctly libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
tone, which is typical of both Sheffield and Pournelle's work, and certainly a common theme throughout speculative sci-fi in general.