2 ms·

Academia is not a waste of time just because it doesn't translate into "productivity" and wealth. Some people enjoy the pursuit of knowledge, and find great mea

Academia is not a waste of time just because it doesn't translate into "productivity" and wealth. Some people enjoy the pursuit of knowledge, and find great meaning in it. Increasingly the arts are being defunded based on a similar argument, and humanity as a whole is worse off because of it.

xyzelement 1mo ago
He did not seem to enjoy it or find meaning in it. Something could be valuable despite being "useless" but not in this case.
ydat 1mo ago
Why do we need artists anymore? I can just ChatGPT to draw me pretty pictures if I want.
bluGill 1mo ago
There is a real conflict here. People are getting loans for their education. A loan is an investment, and should only be taken if it will pay off. If you are getting education because you are interested in the topic but won't get a job in it: I fully support this. However you should not take a loan out to get this education: there are too many other things to do in life that you also will want to do. Worse the loan means you cannot change your mind later if you are wrong (or you can, but you will still have to pay for the mistake instead of whatever you are interested in today). There is one other reason for education: to become a better citizen (don't fall for bad politics). However that should be to everybody and I haven't seen much evidence that higher education really helps much.
- keiferski 1mo ago
  It's very rare and extremely un-recommended to get a loan for a PhD. For most people, at worst, you're losing money by opportunity cost.
- snaking0776 1mo ago
  While it would be insane to get a PhD if you had to pay for it, at least in the US you are paid a stipend (if not a good one) so you can generally avoid any debt. There is definitely an opportunity cost though.
  - robocat 1mo ago
    Most people undervalue their time. If a PhD cost $0, it still costs a craptonne of time. All the smartest people I know left school when they were 15 (or earlier).
- jacekm 1mo ago
  > People are getting loans for their education In some countries they do, in some they don't, in others every PhD student even gets a scholarship. Every person I know who did the PhD did it because they loved the topics they were studying. The author of the blogpost is from Russia, I bet he didn't have to pay for his PhD.
  - teiferer 1mo ago
    I would fo so faras sayingif that's not why you are going for a PhD then you should not do it.
xedrac 1mo ago
While I agree with you, I also have to acknowledge the absurdity of some schools having kids define their own crazy undergrad majors, while plunging them into large amounts of debt. They should at least have to sign a waiver that says, "I acknowledge that this degree will likely not be a good investment".
pjc50 1mo ago
Yeeees, but .. now is very much a time when you're going to have to justify that investment to the funding system and the broader public. I generally agree with the "pursuit of knowledge" framing, but there's a big advocacy gap.

xyzelement 1mo ago

He did not seem to enjoy it or find meaning in it. Something could be valuable despite being "useless" but not in this case.

ydat 1mo ago

Why do we need artists anymore? I can just ChatGPT to draw me pretty pictures if I want.

bluGill 1mo ago

There is a real conflict here. People are getting loans for their education. A loan is an investment, and should only be taken if it will pay off. If you are getting education because you are interested in the topic but won't get a job in it: I fully support this. However you should not take a loan out to get this education: there are too many other things to do in life that you also will want to do. Worse the loan means you cannot change your mind later if you are wrong (or you can, but you will still have to pay for the mistake instead of whatever you are interested in today). There is one other reason for education: to become a better citizen (don't fall for bad politics). However that should be to everybody and I haven't seen much evidence that higher education really helps much.

keiferski 1mo ago
It's very rare and extremely un-recommended to get a loan for a PhD. For most people, at worst, you're losing money by opportunity cost.
snaking0776 1mo ago
While it would be insane to get a PhD if you had to pay for it, at least in the US you are paid a stipend (if not a good one) so you can generally avoid any debt. There is definitely an opportunity cost though.
- robocat 1mo ago
  Most people undervalue their time. If a PhD cost $0, it still costs a craptonne of time. All the smartest people I know left school when they were 15 (or earlier).
jacekm 1mo ago
> People are getting loans for their education In some countries they do, in some they don't, in others every PhD student even gets a scholarship. Every person I know who did the PhD did it because they loved the topics they were studying. The author of the blogpost is from Russia, I bet he didn't have to pay for his PhD.
- teiferer 1mo ago
  I would fo so faras sayingif that's not why you are going for a PhD then you should not do it.

xedrac 1mo ago

While I agree with you, I also have to acknowledge the absurdity of some schools having kids define their own crazy undergrad majors, while plunging them into large amounts of debt. They should at least have to sign a waiver that says, "I acknowledge that this degree will likely not be a good investment".

pjc50 1mo ago

Yeeees, but .. now is very much a time when you're going to have to justify that investment to the funding system and the broader public. I generally agree with the "pursuit of knowledge" framing, but there's a big advocacy gap.