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Thank you for the answer. It is not as if people in this situation have not tried. It's perfectly normal for people in my country to have at least one, and oft

Thank you for the answer. It is not as if people in this situation have not tried. It's perfectly normal for people in my country to have at least one, and often two internships during their studies. It is also the norm that most people do have part-time jobs in addition to their studies. But as the point here is, fewer of us are needed. Another "problem" is that if I want to get my education, I'm also bound to complete the tasks and courses the university tells me to. I can of course chose my own path, but if you're in my position, and the greater purpose of what you've been studied does not seem to be a commodity that the job-market wants, you're forced to develop yourself even further. This is not a rant or critique, but logically, this is what has to happen, which is why I also can feel frustrated that I feel like I've done everything that the society I'm eager to contribute to have asked of me, and still, I'm told "it's your fault", "you could've started earlier" etc. I have not created the system I'm about to inherit, and the shameless individualization we're many times witnessing is frustrating. So much that I've personally had to seek professional help/counseling in order to be able to complete my studies, which I know is an increasing problem between me and my peers. It is also perfectly possible that I've simply chosen to dive into a field that this "new world order" does not need. So how do we react to that? Should an economic rationalisation be in control of what education you get? Or is this simply just a product of the current model that a more limited set of skills will be driving a much larger part of society in the future?

rdancer 11y ago
There's the personal aspect of education, which hopefully makes you a better person, and there's the professional aspect of education, which makes you more employable. The problem is that the two get conflated. The right to tertiary-level education in the EU (do you live in the EU?) should be for the former. I'm skeptical, though, that many people are willing to pursue personal development at the university level. But they want the prestige of being "educated". So we end up with technical colleges playing at being universities, badly, and churning out graduates who are unemployable: You get neither personal, nor professional education. It's of no benefit to you or the society. I wish I had a good suggestion for a cure to this malaise. Myself, I said: "fuck it", left my country, went to a top UK uni, dropped out, and started a business.
- MIKarlsen 11y ago
  I can only envy your drive, because I don't have much left. And yes, I live in the EU (Denmark). In this automated world, I would wish I'd spent more time trying to learn a technical skill, but I'm left purely with analytical skills, which does not seem to be in high demand at the moment.
  - rdancer 11y ago
    Let me just remind you that you seem to be rationalizing your depression as coming from your professional prospects, which it is not. Because objectively, opportunity-wise, you are doing all right. You already have one degree, can go anywhere within EU, and get paid to study for another degree, and another, and another, until you decide to enter the workforce. You're not "left" with your degree. People in my parents' generation were done with studies, and that was it, they could never go back to uni. We can, and we get paid to do that. That's awesome. Come and study in UK[1]. [1] https://www.ucas.com https://www.ucas.com

rdancer 11y ago

There's the personal aspect of education, which hopefully makes you a better person, and there's the professional aspect of education, which makes you more employable. The problem is that the two get conflated. The right to tertiary-level education in the EU (do you live in the EU?) should be for the former. I'm skeptical, though, that many people are willing to pursue personal development at the university level. But they want the prestige of being "educated". So we end up with technical colleges playing at being universities, badly, and churning out graduates who are unemployable: You get neither personal, nor professional education. It's of no benefit to you or the society. I wish I had a good suggestion for a cure to this malaise. Myself, I said: "fuck it", left my country, went to a top UK uni, dropped out, and started a business.

MIKarlsen 11y ago
I can only envy your drive, because I don't have much left. And yes, I live in the EU (Denmark). In this automated world, I would wish I'd spent more time trying to learn a technical skill, but I'm left purely with analytical skills, which does not seem to be in high demand at the moment.
- rdancer 11y ago
  Let me just remind you that you seem to be rationalizing your depression as coming from your professional prospects, which it is not. Because objectively, opportunity-wise, you are doing all right. You already have one degree, can go anywhere within EU, and get paid to study for another degree, and another, and another, until you decide to enter the workforce. You're not "left" with your degree. People in my parents' generation were done with studies, and that was it, they could never go back to uni. We can, and we get paid to do that. That's awesome. Come and study in UK[1]. [1] https://www.ucas.com https://www.ucas.com