Introduction “The Myth of the Ant Queen” by Steven Johnson describes complex systems that run with no external management. The author provides an example of an ant colony, where each ant instinctively knows what it is supposed to do. Therefore, the notion of the queen is rather nominal, as she does not rule the members of the colony. They operate on their own, knowing instinctively on the genetic level what should be done so that the colony keeps thriving. Johnson also provides an example of the town of Manchester that operated by the same principles. There was no organized way of life there. Instead, each member of the community did what they thought should be done naturally. The essay raises the question of the necessity of external control of a complex system, as well as of the motivation that the members of the system might have. Cathy Davidson in “The Project Classroom Makeover” suggests that relevant learning and individualized curriculum based on the use of modern technologies should be introduced, which would greatly improve the students’ motivation to work towards developing their full potential. To this end, acknowledging the unique way of learning in each student is the first step. Davidson stresses the importance of inspiration, learning, unlearning, and the necessity to transition from the idea of assessment to the idea of creating assets. In “Biographies of Hegemony” by Karen Ho we learn that the so-called culture of smartness, perpetuated by the Wall-Street and overall standardization processes is aimed not at developing creativity and independence but rather at strengthening the positions of the elite that is currently calling the shots. Upon reading the mentioned articles, it is possible to assume that the culture of smartness has a disturbingly negative impact on the individualization of education. Encouraged by Wall Street and related institutions, the culture of smartness sets a global standard of success with rigid principles that ambitious students strive to follow. This external motivation acts as a rigorous official authority that makes every effort to standardize the process of education. Self-Interest and Self-Organization Davidson argues that children would rather motivate themselves to study if it yielded pleasing results, not by “what is won or achieved in statistical terms, but what is won and achieved inside in the sense of self –confidence and competence” (67). Amid the ongoing debates about the need to choose between individualized and standardized education, Davidson provides valid arguments for the former. Indeed, if the standardized approach is abandoned, we will be able to see students developing their fullest potential. The author emphasizes that each person has a unique learning curve. Moreover, using inspiration one can encourage children to learn with no external imperative. While it can be argued that children cannot have that degree of self-discipline, it is important to notice the relationship between self-discipline and self-motivation. The latter usually precedes the former, forming a causal link. As indicated by Davidson, with the proper inspiration, children will propel themselves to learn since they wil