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I think after industrialization we started realizing how advanced knowledge of complex topics can multiply our impact and wealth. No wonder all nations strived

I think after industrialization we started realizing how advanced knowledge of complex topics can multiply our impact and wealth. No wonder all nations strived to educate their people and their people aspired to go to colleges and get higher specialized degrees. The reality is that the economy cannot occupy all these specialists and still requires a ton of fungible generalists. In fact we made so many specialists that themselves became fungible. Look at the tech layoffs, they casually throw under the bus industry legends, simply because everyone has become nearly replaceable. And even from a societal perspective you would think that with more knowledge we would become more tolerant, more rational etc etc. Well how did that work out?

mmooss 1y ago
> The reality is that the economy cannot occupy all these specialists What is that based on? I haven't heard of any such problem, other than from people who are trying to cut education funding or social mobility. > and still requires a ton of fungible generalists. Undergraduate college degree holders are generalists. Nobody considers you a specialist, or will hire you as such, because of your undergraduate degree. Maybe some engineering degrees, but really you need a masters degree for almost every specialist job. > even from a societal perspective you would think that with more knowledge we would become more tolerant, more rational etc etc. Well how did that work out? Despite the recent reactionary backlash, we still far ahead of where we were 50 years ago and even more ahead of where we were a century ago. The evidence is overwhelmingly the other way.
- whatever1 1y ago
  > What is that based on? I haven't heard of any such problem, other than from people who are trying to cut education funding or social mobility. Check any South/Eastern European country. Tons of degrees, insanely high youth unemployment. Devastating lack of labor for businesses. Of course an engineer will prefer to stay home with their parents instead of going to work as a barista. > Undergraduate college degree holders are generalists. Nobody considers you a specialist, or will hire you as such, because of your undergraduate degree. Maybe some engineering degrees, but really you need a masters degree for almost every specialist job. With generalists I meant unspecialized labor: servers, farm workers, construction workers etc
  - mmooss 1y ago
    > Check any South/Eastern European country. I thought we were talking about the US - note the headline. I understand some less wealthy countries have that problem; I don't know why but it's an interesting question.

mmooss 1y ago

> The reality is that the economy cannot occupy all these specialists What is that based on? I haven't heard of any such problem, other than from people who are trying to cut education funding or social mobility. > and still requires a ton of fungible generalists. Undergraduate college degree holders are generalists. Nobody considers you a specialist, or will hire you as such, because of your undergraduate degree. Maybe some engineering degrees, but really you need a masters degree for almost every specialist job. > even from a societal perspective you would think that with more knowledge we would become more tolerant, more rational etc etc. Well how did that work out? Despite the recent reactionary backlash, we still far ahead of where we were 50 years ago and even more ahead of where we were a century ago. The evidence is overwhelmingly the other way.

whatever1 1y ago
> What is that based on? I haven't heard of any such problem, other than from people who are trying to cut education funding or social mobility. Check any South/Eastern European country. Tons of degrees, insanely high youth unemployment. Devastating lack of labor for businesses. Of course an engineer will prefer to stay home with their parents instead of going to work as a barista. > Undergraduate college degree holders are generalists. Nobody considers you a specialist, or will hire you as such, because of your undergraduate degree. Maybe some engineering degrees, but really you need a masters degree for almost every specialist job. With generalists I meant unspecialized labor: servers, farm workers, construction workers etc
- mmooss 1y ago
  > Check any South/Eastern European country. I thought we were talking about the US - note the headline. I understand some less wealthy countries have that problem; I don't know why but it's an interesting question.