Timelessness in the things we create
Once upon a time, reading and writing were only taught to folks from privileged backgrounds. Eventually it was regarded as a necessity to train most people in well to do countries, to have those basic skills. Somewhere along the line it was discovered that dyslexia affects some of us. Having that condition shouldn’t be conflated with anyone’s ability (or inability) to reason and/ or create things.
Possessing the tools to absorb, report and apply facts, figures and other information is an important part of the vocabulary needed by individuals to survive and thrive in our world. A rounded education would include some other attributes as well.
Nurturing the ability to think outside the box and use one’s imagination to visualise and create new things is a factor that could make a major difference to the long term prospects of communities.
Academic achievements can make a person more employable than others, but when he or she passes away, those achievements are of not much use to anyone (apart from some aspects of academic research)
Creative work on the other hand, could live on in the minds of people long after the demise of the creator. Indeed, the European based canon of classical art and creativity thrives on this idea. Should we be aiming to build more things that last?