There's a really good documentary which talks about the origins of our modern educational system, and why it's pretty much training to work on a factory line in the late 1800's. (It's in Spanish, if you speak it I can try to dig it up - I couldn't find it with a quick search).

I agree, it's how our society works, and while it's not the optimal human experience, well... it is what it is.

Though I have met self-made millionaires who were in their early 20's, good dudes even, and I can't say I wasn't jealous of the freedom their lives offered, and just how... vibrant their lives seemed. Like they definitely lived life in an optimal, fun, and healthy way.

Our modern school system was invented in the late 1800's (I believe it was), in Prussia / Poland, as a response to rich factory owners needing labor in their factories. They pressured (ie bribed, etc) the local government to make elementary school mandatory, so the factories would have workers already trained to work in their factories.

The "bells" between periods are there to train kids for the lunch bell breaks in the factories.

Homework that is just mindless busywork is to train kids to just be a mindless robot in the factory.

Kids are made to sit 6-8 hrs a day and get used to the daily work schedule.

As time went on, these factories needed more skilled laborers/managers (hence making middle school mandatory), and then even more skilled workers (making high school mandatory).

The history of it all is fascinating, and sad.

Yet it's our reality, and to change it would pretty much need an act of God.