The Uselessness of 'Education' and the Liberal Arts

Conventionally people talk about the neccessity of education (where education isn't even well defined. I wish to shatter this myth and admonish people to follow a practical path and specialise and in doing so not suffer the consequences that will follow when you do liberal arts. I also think borrowing for useless education is one of the worst things you can do.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• education
• liberal arts
• humanities
• science
• practicality
• pragmaticism
• employment
• jobs
• opportunities

[shmiggen]

Life dealt our generation a pretty fucked up card. My best friend lives in a tiny apartment in Korea, where he teaches english. None of my friends are married, some were, then divorced. Everyone rents. My dad graduated in late 60's to immediate jobs.  Also, women are competing for the top 5% of socially dominant males. Looks like 95% of us will never have a wife. You're not alone, buddy. Anyway, at the very least your education bought you a breadth of knowledge and a sense of humour.

[Stardusk]

@shmiggen Haha. I worked in Korea for over 2 years; I have a BA and an MA and am living with my parents at 32. Good times!

[TDP788]

You say, "It's not going to do anything for you." But you are implying that it puts you in debt and that it won't be profitable as a degree. Are there not nonmaterialistic reasons for attaining a degree? I consider it useless to toil away in some factory or office, no matter how practical. I would be more happy doing nothing at all, no matter how much money I had.

[Stardusk]

Nonmateralistic reasons? Meh. There shouldn't be and that is the point of what I am saying. If you don't mind starving and living in a cardboard box I guess it doesn't matter.

[gramblor1]

I totally agree with you. People don't take college for what it really is an investment. Rather, they think it's a rite of passage, where on the other end is automatic prosperity and acceptance. Does anyone ever consider that spending $100,000 on 4 years of 'education' is wildly speculative and won't necessarily amount to a good return? Of course not. But they'll meet so many life-long friends there, so it's all worth it.

[Stardusk]

Indeed. 100% in agreement.

[dr1345]

@Mateo11 there are plenty of self taught writers today and majority of them end up nowhere. read chuck palahniuk bio, he had a lot of education before he became an accomplished writer. not just college, but private seminars as well. it doesn't just happen overnight when you decide to write a book, write it, and it hits big.

[Mateo11]

@dr1345 Yeah, but you can improve just as well by reading on your own and practicing your writing.

[dr1345]

liberal arts degree is useless if you have no talent. but if you're a gifted writer liberal arts can help you to become better.

[eurohim]

@SManEasy There's a bunch of kids from Purdue who put COM100 videos up for a class assignment describing why someone should hire a liberal arts major and they all sound like clones of each other and totally mindless. They can debate online instead of in classrooms. You'll get more variation that way.

[eurohim]

@guitarmessiah95 There are more people in law school than there are working lawyers.

[eurohim]

I started going the normal college route, starting in a community college with plans to transfer to a four year university. I quickly (within the first year) saw all of the classes I had to take as pointless. I then just started taking all of the IT courses they had available and that gave me a start that has kept me employed in my industry for 10 years now. Practicality is everything. I'd say that liberal arts people are idiots in all subjects. You can learn all that stuff at home for fun.

[guitarmessiah95]

I'm not much of a science or math person i find both of the subjects really boring. I know I love english and history though. Would it be practical for me to study politcal science and go on to law school? I know i'll do well in that subject because it's something I like to do. If I took something like computer science or enigneering my grades would sink because they bore me ...

[StarduskLP]

@ApollosInsight Yes, the most useless of all probably.

[ApollosInsight]

Another subject that is useless is Women and Gender studies. This subject is filled w/ nothing but stupidity, prejudice, and a powerful vehicle of indoctrinating women how they're still "victims" and are still "oppressed".

So, instead of basing their education on what's observed, practical and empirical, the foundation of this subject is completely baseless and abstract.

Try talking to a "graduate" from there, and you'll soon question where her ability to reason went.

[ApollosInsight]

Another subject that is useless is Women and Gender studies. This subject is filled w/ nothing but stupidity, prejudice, and a powerful vehicle of indoctrinating women how they're still "victims" and are still "oppressed".

So, instead of basing their education on what's observed, practical and empirical, the foundation of this subject is completely baseless and abstract.

Try talking to a "graduate" from there, and you'll soon question where her ability to reason went.