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College was sold to us as a way to enter a rarified sector of the job market, and that’s not as true as it once was, and was never as true as it was sold. But a

College was sold to us as a way to enter a rarified sector of the job market, and that’s not as true as it once was, and was never as true as it was sold. But a college education is tremendously important for our democracy to exist in any meaningful way. An educated citizenry is crucial, irrespective of whether that translates to wealth (by the way, it still does translate to higher wealth over a lifetime).

insane_dreamer 3y ago
> a college education is tremendously important for our democracy to exist in any meaningful way this was the original purpose of college (and what liberal arts colleges still attempt to do today); but at some point (maybe starting in the 70s?) college became a place to get the skills necessary to enter the job market, until now it's basically become a prereq for almost any job that's not minimum wage so basically an extension of HS -- serves no real purpose but companies require the piece of paper so you have to have it. (Yes there are exceptions -- tech, professional sports, acting -- but only if you are supremely talented at a young age, or very lucky, and therefore for the very very few.)
- phmqk76 3y ago
  That function of colleges is still very much alive. As part of being an accredited college with accredited programs, most kids are required to take courses in the liberal arts, even for science degrees. And a college education is a very strong indicator of a person’s support for fascism in America as opposed to our democratic norms. Still a very worthwhile endeavor that should be more accessible to more people financially.
EchoChamberMan 3y ago
Good thing Peter isn't interested in democracy! > Thiel explained in a 2009 essay that he had come to "no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel

insane_dreamer 3y ago

> a college education is tremendously important for our democracy to exist in any meaningful way this was the original purpose of college (and what liberal arts colleges still attempt to do today); but at some point (maybe starting in the 70s?) college became a place to get the skills necessary to enter the job market, until now it's basically become a prereq for almost any job that's not minimum wage so basically an extension of HS -- serves no real purpose but companies require the piece of paper so you have to have it. (Yes there are exceptions -- tech, professional sports, acting -- but only if you are supremely talented at a young age, or very lucky, and therefore for the very very few.)

phmqk76 3y ago
That function of colleges is still very much alive. As part of being an accredited college with accredited programs, most kids are required to take courses in the liberal arts, even for science degrees. And a college education is a very strong indicator of a person’s support for fascism in America as opposed to our democratic norms. Still a very worthwhile endeavor that should be more accessible to more people financially.

EchoChamberMan 3y ago

Good thing Peter isn't interested in democracy! > Thiel explained in a 2009 essay that he had come to "no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel