I am of the opinion that having full control over everything you own, weather it is your house, your car, your washing machine, ect, is the way to true enlightenment. Everything we have is so technologically advanced these days understanding it is the mark of true wisdom. In the 1800's or before having full grasp on a topic like agriculture was highly critical because everyone DIRECTLY relied on being fed. Knowing how to grow another bushel of wheat, more nutritious beans or a larger pig meant you and your family could survive. Today, we still rely on food but there are so many other things we rely on that technology has provided like cars, electronics, appliances, ect.
I would argue an understanding of something technical like digital or analog control circuits, is more important today than an understanding of law, medicine, or economics (the core classical "I'm smart!" jobs). There isn't a day that goes by often you aren't exposed to an electronic glitch, whereas law or economics however important, and lucrative, don't apply to everyone. They started eliminating shop class to fill with more "smart" classes, but its REALLY hard to apply and understand calculus in engineering when you can't understand something simple like 3/4" plywood is sufficient to build a step stool from when you have never done anything tangible. Although shop classes could use some revamping, and I am glad STEM is a thing they teach hard now, schools push STEM way to hard these day focusing too much on the theory side of things and not engaging kids to build what they learn with.
I actually read the book in HS mentioned in that first article and pretty timely.
