It's not the degree, its what you do with it.

by Rishi Tue Oct 08, 2013 9:24 am

Nick on Nov 22, 5:18 PM said:
@Deshy:
While I agree that a perfectly unequal society is eventual, I don't think its necessarily a Darwinian concept. In Darwin's theory of natural selection, the more dominantly adapted species survives despite the best efforts toward survival of the lesser species. Where I think the problem of a growing inequality gap differs from natural selection is that members of our society don't make the best effort to survive. We have empowered them stagnate.

I attended public school all through my youth. I did my work and got fairly good grades. I granted an academic scholarship to a public university where I studied finance. I chose the major because I knew it would lead me to a field where I would be able to easily support myself and be a good provider to my eventual family. Again, I worked hard, I rarely missed class and I got good grades. After graduation I attended graduate school and eventually went to work for a consulting firm which lead to a long and prosperous career.

The point I'm making here is that I had no great advantage, there were no barriers to entry to do what I did. Anyone could have. Every single one of the occupy wall st. protesters could have chosen to do the exact same thing and likely would have had a similar outcome.

The ones who CHOSE a liberal arts degree, the one's who CHOSE not to perform at a high level and earn scholarships instead of student loans, have taken a different path. Which is fine, they had a right to do that. In our free American society they have the right to choose any path they want. They however chose a path less conducive to prosperity.

The problem lies in the fact that we empower them. We tell them "express yourself!" instead of "support yourself!". We aren't told that a degree in anthropology won't afford you a pot to piss in whereas an engineering degree will make you a valued, productive member of society.

I'm curious how it falls on those who have chosen the prosperous path to support those who have chosen the less prosperous path. It is what it is though, if they want to raise my taxes feel free, I'll just save the difference by giving less to charity (I give A LOT to charity). Meanwhile my tax dollars will go instead toward paying interest payments to China.

JDelorenzo on Nov 22, 10:22 PM said:
@Nick:
Hey Dipshit,

I'm working towards a PhD in anthropology. I've managed to stay completely debt free so far, and I've financed myself through fellowships, scholarships, and award money for research. If I continue on my current trajectory, I'll likely be making more money than you are, and I'll be doing something that I find rewarding. If you're going to cite a useless degree, try business. Every asshat frat bro with a Guy Harvey shirt and sunglasses tan has one. It's not the degree, its what you do with it.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/facts-you-dont-want-to-know-iq-2011-11?op=1#ixzz2h8WgbSId