Hello, my name is Marlon Macharia, Kenyan by birth, and third-year software engineering student. Dissatisfied with the current educational system by every measure, I’m stepping into a mission I believe will define not only my life but perhaps the future of education itself. I want to introduce myself not merely as a student, a developer, or an aspiring entrepreneur, but as an architect of a Brave New World — a world that breaks free from the constraints of outdated educational models and fosters true thinkers, problem solvers, and creators.

Have you seen Inception? That movie about implanting ideas so deeply into someone’s subconscious that they become part of their worldview, guiding their actions and decisions without their awareness? It’s not just a concept for movies. Ideas — powerful, transformative ideas — shape society. And like Inception’s architects who built elaborate mental landscapes to plant those ideas, I want to build a networked world where ideas of progress, creativity, and purpose can flourish and change lives on a grand scale.

Redesigning Education for Problem Solvers, Not Test Takers

Let’s start with the first problem I want to solve: education. Right now, our system operates on a conveyor belt model, treating students as mere products destined for an assembly line. Exams, rigid syllabi, endless assignments — the current approach produces graduates who are more equipped to memorize than to innovate. It’s a model that values compliance over curiosity, and I believe it’s time for an upgrade. In this new system, we’ll bypass the need for standardized tests and mountains of paperwork. Instead, it will be about getting things done — in the spirit of first principles, as Elon Musk would say.

Imagine an educational framework that operates more like a blockchain network, where learners connect over a shared mission: to solve problems. Think of each student as a miner on this blockchain, solving real-world challenges and, in return, being rewarded for their contributions. Every problem solved, every solution invented, every business started earns the learner recognition, financial rewards, or even tokens that signify their impact. This new system will be a loop of continuous achievement and value creation, where every individual succeeds, not by compliance, but by contribution.

And the teachers? They aren’t mere bystanders in this new model. For every student who succeeds in becoming a problem-solver, the teachers earn rewards, too. Perhaps it’s a percentage of the student’s business success, or maybe it’s tokens or reputation points in the system. This way, the teachers’ role transforms from gatekeepers of knowledge to partners in innovation, investing in their students’ success because their own success depends on it. It’s a system built on mutual gain — when the student wins, so does the teacher, the community, and ultimately, society at large.

Why We Need Architects, Not Workers

Our current education system was designed to produce workers, not thinkers. John D. Rockefeller famously said, “I don’t want a nation of thinkers. I want a nation of workers.” That mindset has permeated education for generations. But if we are to thrive in a future that values innovation and creativity, we need a new class of people — the architects of tomorrow. These architects will design their own futures, creating solutions to the problems they see in the world around them.

The Brave New World is a stark alternative to the global narrative we often see: a world order shaped by distant policymakers and international NGOs who may not fully understand or prioritize the unique challenges faced by people in different parts of the world. Their vision often appears dystopian, lacking in individual agency, focused on creating uniform solutions for diverse populations. In my Brave New World, we will design a system that encourages individuals to take control of their destinies by empowering them with skills, knowledge, and the resources they need to drive change.

A Loop of Endless Achievement and Value Creation

In this Brave New World, success is individual. Each student, each teacher, and each problem-solver earns based on their personal accomplishments. Instead of enforcing a collective gain, we create a merit-based structure where success is self-driven, but its ripple effects naturally contribute to community progress. Each person is empowered to reach their highest potential and rewarded directly for their unique contributions, building a system that champions individual achievement while benefiting society at large.

Imagine a classroom, not with rows of desks and a whiteboard at the front, but as a space where students gather around real problems. Imagine mentors who don’t merely instruct but engage, brainstorm, and encourage students to go beyond what they thought possible. It’s a collaborative environment where students are entrepreneurs from the start, where they don’t just learn theory but apply it, building businesses, creating products, and solving community challenges as part of their curriculum.

A Philosophy of First Principles and Bold Action

One of the guiding philosophies of my mission is Elon Musk’s approach to “first principles.” Musk challenges us to break down complex problems into their most basic truths and build up from there, disregarding traditional constraints and assumptions. Why should education be any different? If the goal of education is to create value, then why not design a system that prioritizes getting things done over ticking boxes on a syllabus? Why not focus on outcomes that matter, instead of arbitrary milestones?

By embracing first principles, we’ll strip away the unnecessary layers of our current education system, focusing on practical skills, creativity, and problem-solving. In doing so, we’ll cultivate a generation of thinkers who don’t just adapt to the world but shape it, actively designing the future they want to see.

The Brave New World: A Design of Hope and Possibility

The world doesn’t need more people who simply go through the motions, content to follow paths laid out for them. It needs architects — those who think, design, build, and create. This Brave New World is my mission, my life’s work, and my answer to the deep-seated dissatisfaction I feel with the current educational system. The goal isn’t just to challenge the status quo; it’s to build an alternative that gives people real hope, purpose, and agency.

So, who am I? I’m Marlon Macharia, and I am an architect of a Brave New World. My mission is to create an education system where students and teachers are partners in progress, where success is mutual, and where value creation drives everything. My vision is to produce architects — people who will define their futures, not merely inherit them.

This journey is just beginning, but I believe it’s a journey that will redefine what education means for generations to come. It’s time to leave behind the outdated models and build a world that encourages bold thinking, celebrates true achievement, and empowers everyone to be architects of their destinies.

Welcome to the Brave New World.