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Can you imagine trying to convince tax payers who don't even agree on universal healthcare that they should now pay NYU's tuition for someone studying Intersect

Can you imagine trying to convince tax payers who don't even agree on universal healthcare that they should now pay NYU's tuition for someone studying Intersectional Feminist Literature?

TillE 9y ago
Yeah what a crazy hippie liberal idea...supported by, for example, the ruling center-right Christian party in Germany. Americans really need to get over their dumb cultural hangups on a lot of issues. (Also, universal healthcare does enjoy very wide support already.)
- ericd 9y ago
  What is that person going to do for work afterwards that it's worth it for society to do this with its limited resources, given that they're not independently wealthy, and they haven't been developing their skills for a career on the side? I don't mean to be snarky, I'm genuinely curious. If I'm not mistaken, historically, only the rich have gotten these sorts of degrees.
  - dragonwriter 9y ago
    > If I'm not mistaken, historically, only the rich have gotten these sorts of degrees. I'm fairly confident you're quite mistaken.
    - ericd 9y ago
      It's very possible. Do you know of any evidence of a large number of people in the lower classes getting college degrees that had very little direct career relevance outside of a few spots in academia?
  - Spooky23 9y ago
    They are going to have a well practiced ability to analyze text, data and other sources and understand, critique or respond to arguments presented. Liberal arts teach you about thinking. I dual majored in CS and History, concentrating on the path that Marco Polo supposedly took to China's the people and cultures there. The later has been far more helpful to me that the CS stuff, which was mostly theoretical bullshit.
    - ericd 9y ago
      Good point, and I'd add that a circumspect citizenry with experience in many varied areas of thinking is necessary for democracy to function well. It's probably worth it to society to fund for that benefit alone. Thanks for the reminder. You did get a fairly in-demand degree job-wise to go with it, though. Do you feel like the history degree by itself would have been good enough work-wise?
      - Spooky23 9y ago
        I've had this debate with colleagues and friends many times. I struggled with choosing CS because everyone assumed I'd go to school for computer related stuff from age 8. I wanted to be sure I did what I wanted to do. But I also wanted good job prospects! End of the day, CS opened doors to good jobs immediately after college. Without that, i problably would have gravitated towards teaching, sales, law or something similar. Between luck, hustle, timing and what I know (not necessarily in that order), I'm pretty happy with how things have turned out. Had I taken another path, I tend to believe I would land in a similar place. But who knows!
        ericd 9y ago
        Makes sense. I think your approach is a good one - mix passion and practical.
        therealdrag0 9y ago
        I similarly was a computer kid, but took a different path (English, Philosophy), and I did end up in the same place. After teaching English for a year in Korea, I spent a year pounding out the lightest CS degree I could. Now I have a healthy dev career, and I don't regret lib arts at all (except maybe wishing I did them at the same time, instead of serially).

Can you imagine trying to convince tax payers who don't even agree on universal healthcare that they should now pay NYU's tuition for someone studying Intersectional Feminist Literature?

TillE 9y ago

Yeah what a crazy hippie liberal idea...supported by, for example, the ruling center-right Christian party in Germany. Americans really need to get over their dumb cultural hangups on a lot of issues. (Also, universal healthcare does enjoy very wide support already.)

ericd 9y ago
What is that person going to do for work afterwards that it's worth it for society to do this with its limited resources, given that they're not independently wealthy, and they haven't been developing their skills for a career on the side? I don't mean to be snarky, I'm genuinely curious. If I'm not mistaken, historically, only the rich have gotten these sorts of degrees.
- dragonwriter 9y ago
  > If I'm not mistaken, historically, only the rich have gotten these sorts of degrees. I'm fairly confident you're quite mistaken.
  - ericd 9y ago
    It's very possible. Do you know of any evidence of a large number of people in the lower classes getting college degrees that had very little direct career relevance outside of a few spots in academia?
- Spooky23 9y ago
  They are going to have a well practiced ability to analyze text, data and other sources and understand, critique or respond to arguments presented. Liberal arts teach you about thinking. I dual majored in CS and History, concentrating on the path that Marco Polo supposedly took to China's the people and cultures there. The later has been far more helpful to me that the CS stuff, which was mostly theoretical bullshit.
  - ericd 9y ago
    Good point, and I'd add that a circumspect citizenry with experience in many varied areas of thinking is necessary for democracy to function well. It's probably worth it to society to fund for that benefit alone. Thanks for the reminder. You did get a fairly in-demand degree job-wise to go with it, though. Do you feel like the history degree by itself would have been good enough work-wise?
    - Spooky23 9y ago
      I've had this debate with colleagues and friends many times. I struggled with choosing CS because everyone assumed I'd go to school for computer related stuff from age 8. I wanted to be sure I did what I wanted to do. But I also wanted good job prospects! End of the day, CS opened doors to good jobs immediately after college. Without that, i problably would have gravitated towards teaching, sales, law or something similar. Between luck, hustle, timing and what I know (not necessarily in that order), I'm pretty happy with how things have turned out. Had I taken another path, I tend to believe I would land in a similar place. But who knows!
      - ericd 9y ago
        Makes sense. I think your approach is a good one - mix passion and practical.
      - therealdrag0 9y ago
        I similarly was a computer kid, but took a different path (English, Philosophy), and I did end up in the same place. After teaching English for a year in Korea, I spent a year pounding out the lightest CS degree I could. Now I have a healthy dev career, and I don't regret lib arts at all (except maybe wishing I did them at the same time, instead of serially).