"Only the broad education of each generation would sustain the nation"

After Bauerlein retells us the story of Rip Van Winkle, which I have already heard countless times, he goes into civic knowledge as described by Thomas Jefferson. Bauerlein states that, "Only the broad education of each generation would sustain the nation." He proves this with a quote from Thomas Jefferson, "(If) we leave the people in ignorance," old customs like, "Kings, priests and nobles...will rise up among us." Bauerlein believes education is the key; well of course it is.
The internet and television are great sources of knowledge. They provide us with knowledge that, Bauerlein probably dreamed of before the 'terrible' internet came along. I found a site, The World Without Us, that spoke about what would happen if we just left the earth one day, and what would happen to the earth and its living things after we had gone. With sites like these we can help realize the lives we are living and help us move forward as the human race. How could this be a bad thing?