A very interesting article. I applaud the young man for not only being polite as he left the ceremony, but also for being knowledgeable about history and not blindly following so-called traditions without both understanding them and believing in them. Sadly, due to societal norms here in Thailand, this young man will probably be treated as an outcast among both his peers and his instructors. The goal of education is to teach students how to think for themselves, how to use logic to reason through problems, and how to apply past knowledge to use in today's modern world in a polite and responsible manner. Education is not to force people to simply memorize facts, to think in the same way and to blindly follow the masses.