Review of Networks of Trust: The Social Costs of College and What We Can Do About Them, by A. S. Laden

It's burnt.""What?" "So are the Chekhov books you lent me.Denny found out I was on the pill, he's burnt all me books.""Oh, Christ.I'm sorry, I'll get you some more books.""Oh, sod the books.I wasn't referring to the books.Why can't he just let me get on with me learning?You'd think I was having an affair, the way he behaves.""Perhaps you are having an affair.""Go 'way, I'm not!What time have I got for an affair?Jesus, I'm busy enough finding meself, let alone finding anyone else.I'm beginning to find me.It's great.It is, you know, Frank.It might sound selfish but all I want for now is what I'm finding inside me." ~From the screenplay "Educating Rita" (Gilbert, 1983)Rita's crisis stems from the loss of friends, family, and community in the name of education-or is it indoctrination?The review of Networks of Trust that follows can be seen as five essays on the alienating effects of school and college education with thoughts on how to mitigate these consequences.