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Some of these points are correct. College does seem to be providing less value in the US, etc. Maybe some third-tier universities could be in trouble if there's

Some of these points are correct. College does seem to be providing less value in the US, etc. Maybe some third-tier universities could be in trouble if there's a decline in college attendance. But, "collapsing"? Universities are one of the most long-lived types of institutions known to humankind. Oxford was founded in 1096. I suspect they will be around quite a lot longer.

manuelabeledo 5y ago
Oxford is in the UK, though. US universities famously have different priorities, compared to their European counterparts.
- deleted 5y ago
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dmurray 5y ago
I don't think he's suggesting universities will go away completely. A 10% or 30% or 90% in US university attendance/revenue/headcount over a period of a few years would objectively be a collapse no matter how well Oxford or MIT continues to thrive.
- nimithryn 5y ago
  I mean, his ideas for replacing universities seem oriented at the elite institutions: https://twitter.com/sama/status/1505599701864701954 https://twitter.com/sama/status/1505599701864701954 TBH I don't think it's clear what he's suggesting.
antattack 5y ago
Just as capitalism fails to account for economic externalities, it also fails to account for education helping people make good choices for themselves and the country, including voting. There's often unaccounted value, in a democratic society, for people to be educated. Also, just because someone is doing a menial work it does not mean that they should not have a access to higher education. Especially since there's not enough of higher valued jobs for everyone and to assure worker mobility.
agumonkey 5y ago
"collapse" is trending in general, from unipolar world order (financial, cultural), to climate change, it's in a lot of people's mind. Maybe explains the use of the word here.
raldi 5y ago
Until the 1970’s, college was something some people went to. By the 1980’s, it was something “everyone” did. A return to the way it was from 1096-1969 would absolutely be properly labeled a collapse.

manuelabeledo 5y ago

Oxford is in the UK, though. US universities famously have different priorities, compared to their European counterparts.

deleted 5y ago
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dmurray 5y ago

I don't think he's suggesting universities will go away completely. A 10% or 30% or 90% in US university attendance/revenue/headcount over a period of a few years would objectively be a collapse no matter how well Oxford or MIT continues to thrive.

nimithryn 5y ago
I mean, his ideas for replacing universities seem oriented at the elite institutions: https://twitter.com/sama/status/1505599701864701954 https://twitter.com/sama/status/1505599701864701954 TBH I don't think it's clear what he's suggesting.

antattack 5y ago

Just as capitalism fails to account for economic externalities, it also fails to account for education helping people make good choices for themselves and the country, including voting. There's often unaccounted value, in a democratic society, for people to be educated. Also, just because someone is doing a menial work it does not mean that they should not have a access to higher education. Especially since there's not enough of higher valued jobs for everyone and to assure worker mobility.

agumonkey 5y ago

"collapse" is trending in general, from unipolar world order (financial, cultural), to climate change, it's in a lot of people's mind. Maybe explains the use of the word here.

raldi 5y ago

Until the 1970’s, college was something some people went to. By the 1980’s, it was something “everyone” did. A return to the way it was from 1096-1969 would absolutely be properly labeled a collapse.