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You have to ask if the majority of 'educated' people actually do things of value. Perhaps we should simply follow a Lysenkoist approach of simply handing out a

You have to ask if the majority of 'educated' people actually do things of value. Perhaps we should simply follow a Lysenkoist approach of simply handing out a diploma to one and all. Forgive me for the old man moment, but I was just musing about how little my life has changed since the 1970s. Noticeable differences: TVs have more pixels, airliners look the same but are slower, you can order manufactured goods from your house without using the mail system, improvements in medicine where they can see what they are doing (surgery),these kids music it's all noise. Digital music and arguing on a communications network have been around since the 1980s. After all the fuss and fury, it's really all on the margin. You have to wonder what all these newly minted degree holders actually do. The growth of the FIRE industry is one answer.

ipaddr 5y ago
A degree holder in any field in 1970 could open many doors. Today a degree by itself could land you at Burger King. You need more education to obtain less now.
- kingsuper20 5y ago
  I expect that the main value was in proving you could sit at a desk for eight hours a day.
  - username90 5y ago
    Doesn't even prove that, many college degrees are easier to pass than high school.
- beerandt 5y ago
  It doesn't help that any student can get a loan to study whatever they want, often without any regard for future income potential. Most STEM majors don't have problems finding jobs. The days of an Art History degree being enough to qualify you as a "college graduate" for a 9-5 desk job in an unrelated field are certainly over. Which makes sense, economically. More college graduates means more specialized degrees to fill niche jobs, which generally pay better. Bushiness have a better chance of getting someone who's degree matches the job position, and don't need to settle for "college graduate" in unrelated field.
  - SketchySeaBeast 5y ago
    The problem with this, from the angle of the employee, is that if they want to move from an HR position to something else they have to entirely retrain and acquire a new degree. Gets cost prohibitive quickly and puts even more emphasis on getting that choice right the first time.

ipaddr 5y ago

A degree holder in any field in 1970 could open many doors. Today a degree by itself could land you at Burger King. You need more education to obtain less now.

kingsuper20 5y ago
I expect that the main value was in proving you could sit at a desk for eight hours a day.
- username90 5y ago
  Doesn't even prove that, many college degrees are easier to pass than high school.
beerandt 5y ago
It doesn't help that any student can get a loan to study whatever they want, often without any regard for future income potential. Most STEM majors don't have problems finding jobs. The days of an Art History degree being enough to qualify you as a "college graduate" for a 9-5 desk job in an unrelated field are certainly over. Which makes sense, economically. More college graduates means more specialized degrees to fill niche jobs, which generally pay better. Bushiness have a better chance of getting someone who's degree matches the job position, and don't need to settle for "college graduate" in unrelated field.
- SketchySeaBeast 5y ago
  The problem with this, from the angle of the employee, is that if they want to move from an HR position to something else they have to entirely retrain and acquire a new degree. Gets cost prohibitive quickly and puts even more emphasis on getting that choice right the first time.