Friendship is Magic- Is that all they need to learn?

[Officer Strike 152]

So let me get this straight. The cutie mark crusaders and the other small little pony kids go to school and yet Pinky Pie is not very clever herself. The thing is that they learn only about friendship and nothing else. I know it focuses on the main point but i am starting to wonder what else they learn apart from that. Everything seems to be got to do with friendship. Lauren Faust created MLP on friendship yes, but surely the ponies should know more! Tell me what you think.

 

[Black Sabbath 2,484]

I don't think that they show when the ponies learn math and that sort of thing because that would be one of the most boring and pointless things that anybody have ever done. 

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

I'm sure they learn other things that are useful to their jobs and stuff

[Mesme Rize 15,681]

First off, Pinkie is just Pinkie. Don't question her.

 

Now, you pretty much answered the question for yourself. The show is called "Friendship is magic" and not "Friendship is math" because that would certainly show a drop in the viewers.

 

So yeah, i have no problem that they just learn about friendship.

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

Simple answer: realism does not always make for good TV. Plus they do learn other kinds of lessons about jealousy,family, acceptance etc. 

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

We're not here to see the ponies go to business school and learn how to be accountants, we're here to see them be friends and have adventures ;p

If you want a show about math, you're going to want a show about Dr. Whooves or something XD

 

Besides, this is a universe where there is VERY little required secondary education for jobs; You get information directly ingrained into your head via a magical butt stamp that lets you get a job. It'd be like if people got chipped instead of going to college and instantly learned how to be electricians or plumbers.

[Demirari 454]

Well, any society would need education beyond Friendship is Magic. I mean, there is this professor and what appears to be some equation that involves planetary rotation or something:

 

 

 

I'd imagine that Equestria's education stops during what would be the equivalent of Elementary School as most jobs I've seen in MLP doesn't require that much intellect to perform. So it's likely that primary education is compulsory while any education above that is optional and would either require scholarships or money. Ponyville would be a good example of where primary education is as far as it goes and any higher would require bits and require moving to a larger town. Canterlot would an example where it is able to extend its compulsory education to high-school equivalent considering its status and wealth compared to the small town.

 

To summarize everything, I'd like to think elementary school would be required and any higher would depend on the settlement and wealth. I mean, they are advance as a society but I doubt they are to a degree where everyone needs to have a high school diploma to get a good job and live life to a good amount.

Edited September 1, 2015 by Demirari

[Princess Lona 381]

They do learn other things. Twilight has been shown studying comets, astronomy, history, and chemistry and it's heavily implied that she studies every other subject you can think of as well. She was always Proncess Celestia's protegé student but she seemed to be attending some sort of college in Canterlot at the same time. Moon Dancer mentions a long list of subjects that she is studying in the library scene in "Amending Fences". The CMC are studying mechanics, potions (ie: chemistry), and magic under the tutelage of Twilight, Rainbow Dash attends flight school, and through Family Appreciation day at school the colts and fillies learn about whatever the guests speaks about; so history from Granny Smith and business from Filthy Rich. Those are the only examples I can think of at the moment but I think that's a pretty good amount of non-friendship related areas of study for a show that focuses on friendship.

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

on the note of things that they study for: Unicorns are shown to be able to learn and use spells if they dedicate themselves to studying them, and there are universities (or at least ONE university) for magical unicorns.

 

As such, while most ponies only need the magic from their cutie marks, Unicorns have a very rich academic system.
 

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,233]

Friendship and magic are the two things that seem to be the most powerful forces in Equestria, by far. Since friendship itself is apparently magic, knowing a lot about said thing could prove rather vital. Give me friends over Algebra anyday, haven't used Algebra once since I finished high school, I would much rather have friendship.

[Officer Strike 152]

Thank you for answering my question guys

[cider float 2,535]

It's the most important thing to learn but not the only one they need to learn.

[UnknownFry 169]

It is important to learn both. Knowledge is great to have, but what good will that do if you can't get along with others on a functional level.

 

And yes the show has depicted other types of learning besides socialization stuff as well.

[cmarston1 5,951]

Nope.  It's just the most important thing that they need to learn.