Academia vs. Education

The subject in which, after a few very simple and almost obvious truths, the most careful attention can discover nothing but obscurity and uncertainty, and can consequently produce nothing but dubtleties and sophisms, was greatly cultivated. (V.I.II) p. 830

The demand for such instruction [the arts and sciences the people deemed necessary or convenient] produced, what it always produces, the talent for giving it; and the emulation which an unrestrained competition never fails to excite, appears to have brought that talent to a very high degree of perfection. p. 837

Personally, I really enjoyed Smith's riffing on the current academic system in England. To hear one who was a moral professor talk about the inefficiency, vanity, and frivolousness of much of the the higher education system was really a gas. I also found some of his stronger rhetoric (language) in these parts. It seems like he is content to merely describe the way the invisible hand guides people, but when it gets to the university system, Smith gets pumped and it shows in his writing. I think the Baconian feeling here of studying productive subjects (math and mechanics by name) is impossible to miss, and Smith also attacks the frivolouss focus on metaphysics. I'd like to talk about the second quote however. Smith is truly invested in educating the masses, both in how to read and write, and also how to live morally and couragously. There's a very populist mentality coming from the write who is stereotyped as being the number one proletariat oppresor. More specifically, I'd like to talk about the idea of a higher demand for knowledge resulting in better teachers and masters of the subject. Smith claims that every instructor were private, then only useful topics (reading, writing, accounting) would be taught. Does Smith want every worker's education to be like that of a woman - a course in solely the most pragmatic lessons (modesty, chastity, economy for women)? Can we expect music and the arts to properly flourish if we do not teach them? Finally, why should we expect a market made of button pushers who "generally becomes as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become [!!!]" (840) to correctly determine the subjects that are necessary and conveniant?