As my sociological theory instructor commented one day, we can give everyone in the world PhDs, but someone still has to flip burgers. That's just about what we've done!
That's what people in service industries have turned into -- robots, consigned to do the same action over and over again. I don't know what's worse -- having to talk to a robot that pretends to be a human, or having to talk to a human who has to read a script like a robot.
I'm of the opinion that we should focus on technical/trade skills a lot more, and generic college degrees a lot less. There's a reason literature degrees from universities used to be the province of a fraction of the aristocracy -- there's only so much demand for those skills.
Sometimes I do wonder what might have happened if my first degree was of any actual use....
But I do also muse on what education is actually for... What I'm convinced it *isn't* for is for the benefit of industry or the economy. Education should be primarily of benefit to the educated. If such is also a benefit to the larger society then all well and good. University in particular shouldn't be used primarily to produce what industry and business presently demand.
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As my sociological theory instructor commented one day, we can give everyone in the world PhDs, but someone still has to flip burgers. That's just about what we've done!
Not really my experience in McD's or Burgerking..... [grin]
There are a *lot* of graduates out there though..... But can we ever have too many if there are proper jobs for them to do?
Oh, and can't robots flip burgers?
That's what people in service industries have turned into -- robots, consigned to do the same action over and over again. I don't know what's worse -- having to talk to a robot that pretends to be a human, or having to talk to a human who has to read a script like a robot.
I'm of the opinion that we should focus on technical/trade skills a lot more, and generic college degrees a lot less. There's a reason literature degrees from universities used to be the province of a fraction of the aristocracy -- there's only so much demand for those skills.
Sometimes I do wonder what might have happened if my first degree was of any actual use....
But I do also muse on what education is actually for... What I'm convinced it *isn't* for is for the benefit of industry or the economy. Education should be primarily of benefit to the educated. If such is also a benefit to the larger society then all well and good. University in particular shouldn't be used primarily to produce what industry and business presently demand.
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