The Higher Education Thread: Justify Poor Life Choices

If you are in the industry, or simply understand "industry speak," here is a really good snapshot of what's going on in these poor SOB's minds. This is possibly going to really melt down. This author is a good fellow, and this is him sounding scared shitless.

"Vulnerable students." "Underrepresented communities." "Historically underserved stakeholders."

These are words inside the industry, I am supposed to nod at and admit we indeed have grave issues to confront. That's how I stay off radar. But I hate it that the media is just repeating this BS:


"vulnerable." Vulnerable to what? Vulnerable to not going to college?

You know who says things like "school was very rough for me and I barely passed and I didn't see the point all I wanted to do was work and make money"?

people who don't want to goddam go to college and do not even grasp what education is good for

I was like a gorilla in an overcoat factory when I went to university. I was trying on coats right and left and I was warm as fuck. "I barely passed because I didn't feel like there was a point." Jesus Christ. The shame is the student was fucking even passed. She's an idiot.

/ranttt

Totally personal story of how strange life is. So I have the ancient runed scroll of Ph.D. It was hard to get! Let's just say, deep in the woods of weird humanities.

This was a ways last century. Did I say it was difficult? Year I started, program admitted 7 out of more than 300. I have certain skills. I can read and remember shit like nothing, and if needed, I can memorize stuff. That was quite a handy skill! Result? Decent enough living so far, and as long as you can handle the turbulence the plane still flies fine. For me, this was fine and dandy. No major regrets here.

-------

But here is the strange part. My dad calls me up -- a simple man, his pastor had mentioned a jewish philosopher and he could not remember the name. "Likely it was Moses Maimonides," I said, since I highly doubt the mid-witted congregations my family seems to prefer knows of a single other jewish philosopher. "Yeah," he said. I then told him the details, 12th century, his best known work, "Guide for the Perplexed," and I would it in the top 10 of basic medieval religious books to read, certainly the most important jewish medieval philosopher, not surpassed until mighty Spinoza came along 500 years later. Dad thanked me, said that was the name of th book th pastor mentioned, too. I ordered it for him on Amazon, a good accessible modern translation, no complicated stuff.

See, I can do that with a lot of scholarly info. It was the skill set to have. Libraries and encyclopedias were not very portable.

But I realized, I'm basically an Alexa. I mean, as a concept. Maybe I am an Alexa.

The Amish do not allow themselves electronic devices, I can be an Alexa for them. "Sadre, who was Moses Maimonides?"

Very strange train of thought. I am puzzled because it could appear knowledge skills invaluable in the pre-digital era are simply maybe not anymore.

So now, all these people are going to be walking around, talking about 10 million things, and the only way they could possibly be of value is if they rent themselves as "real girlfriend experience" Alexas.

In the year 2100, people who can remember information will be like people who can nose whistle the Star Spangled Banner -- intriguing but pointless.

I am thinking that will end up being the new niche, yes.

There is no such thing as too much education in a society. I think you mean, there are too many educational requirements, or too many institutions of education, or the way the system of distributing education is antiquated and over priced, or that our society sucks at integrating education beyond a certain point.

All are true. But it is not the tune's fault the fiddler drops his bow.

But meanwhile, out in the dog lands of reality, the youth of today deal with the nitty gritty of The Suck:


You had all the right gear! You put extra points into AGI and STA! You even chose your gender to min/max this bitch!

In capitalist US, the game min/maxes YOU.

I have two modes on this issue, and maybe we can agree. I can defend and get even misty eyed about how things used to be. Why? Because the world is fascinating and everything you can study is fascinating. That is a fact. In an ideal world we would afford ourselves the time and luxury of serious study. Most people can do it, if they had the time and luxury.

Then comes my second mode, reality. For who cares why, society at this time is not smiling on those who took time to be expert in Renaissance Studies. That's just how it goes. We are idiots. So, you have to be "realistic" -- which means you have to take care of food and your material viability first and foremost, as if this is some kind of post-nuclear lifeboat. People with a MA. in Renaissance Studies get thrown out of the boat, unless they are rich anyway.

And it is so nuts, even the most careful strategy can go awry. I would note the person above said "decent" GPA. I say, we toss her over? Yup. She's being tossed from the lifeboat. Not enough room. Not enough time. We are idiots.

Higher Ed is great if you love to learn, period. Reality requires these days being shrewd. Frankly, I would get a degree in Renaissance Studies, ROTC Army so I can learn to not die, then when that is all done, go figure out how to live for pennies on the dollar near either mountains or an open body of water. Because there is a lot of bullshit in 21st century American life, it seems to me. There are times to plug in, and times to check out.

That might just be me.