I think that people who don't know if a planet is closer or further than a star...
...should not buy a telescope at all - and they certainly should not invest a lot of money in one.
And I think that star parties are about as effective at teaching astronomy, as a woman wearing a low-cut dress and hanging out in hotel bars is doing a good job of looking for a life-partner.
Astronomy education needs to start somewhere where you have a chalkboard or piece of paper. And it needs to start with a bit of history.