GCSE Chemistry and Physics, (I took them when you could do them separately at that level in Britain), taught me the lesson that 'for better or worse, those who know more than you will lie to you in order to explain a concept to you'.

At school it was done for your own good - there is only so much you can grasp at once. Nuclear Physics to a 14 year old needs some dumbing down when they don't understand the basic constructs.

In the last 12 years of my working life though, I have discovered that people guard information jealously, and only give you enough to make an asshole of yourself if you repeat it to someone else.

It's a hard lesson, but once learned is never forgotten. It's the time when you learn who the real assholes are, in fact.