360 Degrees: What's the point of all of this?

Seriously: what is the whole point of our entire school-centered lifestyle? Why do we go to school? Why do we have homework? Why should I even learn all this stuff? Why should i even show up to class? Why can't i just take a year off and go study birds somewhere in Peru? Why should I kill/subdue every other aspect of my life so that i can achieve a passing grade?

One could agree that these are all commonly-asked questions, and i myself believe that every commonly-asked question has a commonly-stated answer. Many people, for example, will ask "Where did people come from?" and they'll probably get either one of two answers: "God created mankind" or, "we simply evolved from monkeys". Now just because these are some of the more popular answers does not necessarily mean that they are correct. It doesn't even imply that they are the only answers.

So I believe there are many answers as to why people go to school. If I asked any ordinary middle-school teacher, for instance, they'll most likely give me that "Don't you dare get any ideas" sort of look, and respond by saying "You're going to school because you need an education." And while that seems fairly obvious and plausible, one may even say, "WHY do we need an education?"

So now, as I imagine, the teacher in this argument will tell me that I need an education so that i can get into a good college, earn a well-paying job, obtain some essential knowledge, and become successful in life...but is that really true? Maybe I'll ask this teacher what all this precalculus stuff has to do with being successful in life (assuming she's a math teacher). Maybe she'll tell me that it's helpful if i ever plan on becoming an engineer, for instance. What if i tell her that I've already thought out my entire life ahead of me and i don't plan on becoming an engineer? What if i tell her that I really DON'T want to become an engineer and much I'd rather spend the rest of my life photographing birds and using what little money i have to buy new camera equipment? She'll probably just tell me to shut up and quit acting like a smart-ass.

But even in spite of this, it seems like there would be a legitimate reason as to why we go to school- And there HAS to be some sort of reason, because our education wouldn't otherwise be required by law. I for one, believe that each and every subject has the opportunity to make a person successful, but i also think that depends on who that person is. I am interested in ecology, literature, botany, and field studies, whereas math may seem boring and meaningless. Perhaps the fact that I took Honors Biology will help me in the future. But still- Why am i even taking precalculus?

And with that said, perhaps it's best for people to be well-rounded in their subjects. I know for a fact that colleges prefer well-rounded students. Perhaps being well-rounded is the key to being successful in life?

So here are some other reasons as to why I SHOULD go to school. Explanations for what i believe school may be all about. Here they are:
1. School keeps kids out of trouble.
2. School provides people with the opportunity to excercise their minds and become critical thinkers.
3. Schools help form an ideal society in which everyone is knowledgeable, keen, and well-educated. (it makes me recall what we learned about in history about the Confucian education system and how great of a success that was)
4. School teaches kids all about real-life skills (so my question is why they don't ever teach self-defense?)
5. It makes for a great social environment!
6. In the case that I didn't go to school, I'd eventually get bored of playing video games and end up in school anyway. So my point is, school makes life interesting.