3 ms·

That's totally confirmation bias. Smart people are more likely to go to college. Almost everyone becomes wiser between the ages of 18 to 22. Why are you so sur

That's totally confirmation bias. Smart people are more likely to go to college. Almost everyone becomes wiser between the ages of 18 to 22. Why are you so sure that college is causative here? I don't doubt that college is where many people grow up more intellectually, but I have yet to see proof that it is the cause of that growth.

scotty79 9y ago
> I don't doubt that college is where many people grow up more intellectually, but I have yet to see proof that it is the cause of that growth. I can agree that it's not the sole cause. But I really have trouble believing that being exercised and lectured about the stuff you knew nothing about every working day and being strongly challenged at least semiannually has no effect on people.
- andrewvc 9y ago
  Well it's not as if people who don't go to college sit about twiddling their thumbs. There's an argument to be made that people who don't spend those years having their life structured and defined by a university learn other important lessons. There's particular irony to making the point that college is where you learn to think on HN. Many founders, like Bill Gates, dropped out of college to be hyper focused on their mission. Rather than thinking of college as a blanket solution for everybody I wish people viewed it as a tool. Some people need it, some people flat out don't.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- andrewvc 9y ago
  Well it's not as if people who don't go to college sit about twiddling their thumbs. Additionally there's an argument to be made that people who don't spend those years having their life structured and defined by a university learn other important lessons. There's particular irony to making the point that college is where you learn to think on HN. Many founders, like Bill gates dropped out of college to be hyper focused on their mission. Rather than thinking of college as a blanket solution for everybody I wish people viewed it as a tool. Some people need it, some people flat out don't.
  - scotty79 9y ago
    > Well it's not as if people who don't go to college sit about twiddling their thumbs. If I never went to college I'd just play more computer games and probably get a job few years earlier. Jobs are easy so I don't expect them to develop and challenge me anywhere near as much as college did. > Bill gates dropped out of college to be hyper focused on their mission. As I said, shame that not everybody has the time or money do go through college. Bill didn't have time. > Some people need it, some people flat out don't. You don't exactly need much in life. Not starving and not dying in the cold on the streets is pretty much enough. The thing is that everything is better when people are doing some things they don't really need to do.

scotty79 9y ago

> I don't doubt that college is where many people grow up more intellectually, but I have yet to see proof that it is the cause of that growth. I can agree that it's not the sole cause. But I really have trouble believing that being exercised and lectured about the stuff you knew nothing about every working day and being strongly challenged at least semiannually has no effect on people.

andrewvc 9y ago
Well it's not as if people who don't go to college sit about twiddling their thumbs. There's an argument to be made that people who don't spend those years having their life structured and defined by a university learn other important lessons. There's particular irony to making the point that college is where you learn to think on HN. Many founders, like Bill Gates, dropped out of college to be hyper focused on their mission. Rather than thinking of college as a blanket solution for everybody I wish people viewed it as a tool. Some people need it, some people flat out don't.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
andrewvc 9y ago
Well it's not as if people who don't go to college sit about twiddling their thumbs. Additionally there's an argument to be made that people who don't spend those years having their life structured and defined by a university learn other important lessons. There's particular irony to making the point that college is where you learn to think on HN. Many founders, like Bill gates dropped out of college to be hyper focused on their mission. Rather than thinking of college as a blanket solution for everybody I wish people viewed it as a tool. Some people need it, some people flat out don't.
- scotty79 9y ago
  > Well it's not as if people who don't go to college sit about twiddling their thumbs. If I never went to college I'd just play more computer games and probably get a job few years earlier. Jobs are easy so I don't expect them to develop and challenge me anywhere near as much as college did. > Bill gates dropped out of college to be hyper focused on their mission. As I said, shame that not everybody has the time or money do go through college. Bill didn't have time. > Some people need it, some people flat out don't. You don't exactly need much in life. Not starving and not dying in the cold on the streets is pretty much enough. The thing is that everything is better when people are doing some things they don't really need to do.