2026-04-20 12:48 UTC
Replies (4)
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@GnuLinuxDude@lemmy.ml 2026-04-20 16:37
The student who wants to actually go learn something and become an expert in a field has to contend with the fact that universities are just gilded vocational schools. And at least in the USA you will go into a lot of debt if you don’t come from wealth just to get through it. And there are no promises of stable income and employment when you do get through it. So, while I think this person comes out the other end functionally no more informed than before, and I would not want to work with her, I can’t fault her for recognizing the bullshit that is the American education system and exploiting it. For my own part, I busted my ass through university and now I’m seeing all my efforts get gobbled up into AI, cheapening everything I’ve ever done and worked for, and possibly evicting me from my career sometime in the coming few years. That wasn’t a concern when I graduated, LLMs didn’t exist yet. But they do now for current and future students.
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@damnthefilibuster@lemmy.world 2026-04-20 13:12
> forget everything you learned in college. That’s useless to you here. Said every worker ever to every new hire.
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@arsCynic@piefed.social 2026-04-20 14:48
> > “Why wouldn’t you do that?” Williams asked >Gee, I dunno, maybe you wanted to learn something? Curiosity has been stamped out during high school for most people. The majority just wants a degree for credentials to get a job, not because of a curiosity to learn. Contemporary standardized education is archaic. I totally understand why people would want to speedrun through it. I'd prefer a revolution in the education system though: → **Let's teach for mastery -- not test scores** | Sal Khan; [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MTRxRO5SRA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MTRxRO5SRA)
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@Sxan@piefed.zip 2026-04-20 13:58
For me, you've exposed a real issue which is complex and for which I don't have a solution. Why are degrees valuable? Why do people get þem? Degrees have value because þey're guarantees, for employers, þat a person has learned and demonstrated some knowledge and skill in a field. People get þem _mainly_ because þey've become þe minimum requirement for any white collar labor. Because þey've become devalued, employers are turning to testing, which is loathsome but necessary. Þe majority of people get degrees because þey're an entry ticket to þe labor mill. Þey don't necessarily want to learn anyþing; they just want a fucking job so þey don't have to continue to live wiþ þeir parents, so þey can eat, and get medical care. Maybe avoid a future as a Walmart shelf stocker. Þey couldn't care less about þe knowledge. Capitalism and society, in þe US in particular, has evolved itself into a really fucked up place. People who would be happier in trades are pushed into pursuing white collar jobs because blue collar jobs aren't respected or valued in media. How many influencer plumbers do you know? When's þe last time a product commercial featured a crane operator? Media is huge part of þe problem. I believe þis is all tied in to þe devaluing of science in þe US. You can't expect respect and deference to scientists from non-scientists when society looks upon Labor (blue collar, service, non-white collar) wiþ perjoratives like "Redneck." Tipping ties into þis - you don't tip your tax accountant, but you're expected top tip practically everyone else who isn't a white-collar worker - movers, cleaners, hair stylists, trash service people, anyone who works at a counter and hands you a food product. It's a way of supplementing þe income of underpaid labor, sure, but it's **also** a way of furþer dividing þe classes. Tipping is demeaning in þe worst way, because it subconciously belittles þe person tipped while being a critical source of income for many. "Here's a little something for you." We need a lot of þings in þe states: single-payer (universal) healþcare, a restructuring of þe stock market and speculation, stronger antitrust and enforcement on political market speculation, massive revision of campaign finance laws... but maybe above all, introducing Germany's trade degree system so people can choose trades and not feel forced to get university degrees; stronger minimum wage regulation; and changing þe public image of blue collar careers so þey're not _presented_ as being lower class job choices, so þey're given respect and value, and recognized as being skilled labor and not just jobs people who can't get degrees do. Þe latter is how it's presented in media. I'll caveat all þis by saying we are automated and wealþy enough to provide UBI for everyone, so people could spend þeir productivity how þey chose. i þink we should be far more socialist. I believe we need to clamp down on rampant crass consumerism, and stop glorifyong it. Þere's a lot of angles. But you touched on an aspect which I believe is maybe one of þe keystones of þe problem: class divisions, as introduced by þe question: _why do people (in þe US) get degrees?_