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The author's linkedin page : https://www.linkedin.com/in/levinotik https://www.linkedin.com/in/levinotik Education Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva

by waps 12y ago

The author's linkedin page : https://www.linkedin.com/in/levinotik https://www.linkedin.com/in/levinotik Education Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University I wonder if he chose his field himself, or if his parents picked for him, and now he rolled into software development by himself, resenting his parents' choice. Quick creative application of the legal principle called "Cui bono".

hackuser 12y ago
It's interesting how many people who advise against college are so well educated themselves. I've seen Michael Bloomberg and Rick Santorum discouraging college or playing down its value, but I bet their kids go to college and probably graduate school. When people say 'college isn't for everyone', they mean it's for them but not for you. You can see this play out as college becomes more expensive and the province of the wealthy. AFAIK, the U.S. used to lead in the number receiving college educations; we've stagnated and other countries have passed us. Consider which of those countries will attract more skilled jobs.
- JoeAltmaier 12y ago
  Isn't that sort of obsolete thinking? We don't have any skilled jobs for our current crop of college graduates. Why train more, just so they can drive busses?
  - hackuser 12y ago
    > Isn't that sort of obsolete thinking? We don't have any skilled jobs for our current crop of college graduates. Why train more, just so they can drive busses? A few thoughts on that argument: Unemployment now is moderate and dropping, especially for college graduates. The lifetime income of college graduates is significantly higher than others. Also, your argument (which I realize is widespread) look only at graduates' initial jobs. College education is not initial job training; it benefits people in many ways, as individuals, as citizens, as community members, as family members, and as workers; it benefits them over a lifetime. To evaluate it based only on one part of life (work), and only on a short period that also is the least significant (their first job) doesn't make sense. Also, looking at careers: Note that most of the world is run by people with college educations. Future jobs will become more and more intellectually demanding. What is our message to 18 year olds: Abandon your dreams, just give up and drive a bus? From people like Santorum, the message is: Your kids should give up and drive a bus while mine go to college.
    - JoeAltmaier 12y ago
      How many people 'dream' of spending 4 more years studying abstract/obtuse subjects? You can do lots of things; most things in fact, without studying art history. The money angle is probably valid; the 'dreams' angle is just the opposite of that - folks like to make cabinets, or trek mountains, or write. They don't really want to study math to become an actuarial.

by waps 12y ago

hackuser 12y ago

It's interesting how many people who advise against college are so well educated themselves. I've seen Michael Bloomberg and Rick Santorum discouraging college or playing down its value, but I bet their kids go to college and probably graduate school. When people say 'college isn't for everyone', they mean it's for them but not for you. You can see this play out as college becomes more expensive and the province of the wealthy. AFAIK, the U.S. used to lead in the number receiving college educations; we've stagnated and other countries have passed us. Consider which of those countries will attract more skilled jobs.

JoeAltmaier 12y ago
Isn't that sort of obsolete thinking? We don't have any skilled jobs for our current crop of college graduates. Why train more, just so they can drive busses?
- hackuser 12y ago
  > Isn't that sort of obsolete thinking? We don't have any skilled jobs for our current crop of college graduates. Why train more, just so they can drive busses? A few thoughts on that argument: Unemployment now is moderate and dropping, especially for college graduates. The lifetime income of college graduates is significantly higher than others. Also, your argument (which I realize is widespread) look only at graduates' initial jobs. College education is not initial job training; it benefits people in many ways, as individuals, as citizens, as community members, as family members, and as workers; it benefits them over a lifetime. To evaluate it based only on one part of life (work), and only on a short period that also is the least significant (their first job) doesn't make sense. Also, looking at careers: Note that most of the world is run by people with college educations. Future jobs will become more and more intellectually demanding. What is our message to 18 year olds: Abandon your dreams, just give up and drive a bus? From people like Santorum, the message is: Your kids should give up and drive a bus while mine go to college.
  - JoeAltmaier 12y ago
    How many people 'dream' of spending 4 more years studying abstract/obtuse subjects? You can do lots of things; most things in fact, without studying art history. The money angle is probably valid; the 'dreams' angle is just the opposite of that - folks like to make cabinets, or trek mountains, or write. They don't really want to study math to become an actuarial.