degrees

 I was the first child in my family to graduate high school and get that diploma. Now my sister did go on later and get her GED and an associate's degree. The thing was getting a diploma wasn't a big thing in my house. We were expected to learn how to read, write and do arithmetic. Yes, I'm that old, arithmetic. Adding, subtracting and doing fractions, at least fractions of an inch. With that knowledge you should be all set to go into the world and earn a living. And we all were, and we all did. 

 That was simply because the expectation was that we would all be blue collar workers. The idea that any of us would get a job in an office, behind a desk was as foreign an idea as becoming a doctor or a lawyer. Only rich people did that and their kids. Regular folks like us didn't go to college. It was the mindset I grew up with reenforced by my parents. It wasn't unusual to hear someone being called an educated damn fool. They were the ones in charge when things went bad. If they had only asked someone who actually knew what they were doing it could have been avoided. What was needed was practical hands-on experience. 

 Today I think a high school diploma is the very minimum requirement. It has become such a requirement that we have found methods to issue it regardless of attendance or competence. The core subjects have remained the same, but many additional areas of study have been added. Not all of them valuable in my opinion. I've been out of the system for quite some time, so I only know what I hear. I see where some schools are putting shop classes back in the curriculum. or courses similar to that. Classes to learn practical skills for everyday use.

  Back in the day, my day circa 1971, a high school diploma really did mean something. What I mean is not everyone required that or expected it. It was a feather in your cap as the saying goes. Granted it wasn't the chiefs feathers but at least you were a brave. A college degree was something else entirely. That was looked upon as the key to success. Well not success so much as making more money than those without a degree. It was the promise of a larger income that served as the impetus for going to college. It was an investment by your parents. That's why only rich kids went, unless they got a full scholarship either academically or for some sport. And generally speaking, that was true. College graduates made more money.

  I believe that has changed over the years. A college degree isn't all what it used to be. I truly wonder about the value of any degree you purchase online. I don't care what school is supposed to be issuing that diploma. If I can simply sit at home and "earn " that degree how valuable is it? I figure it is worth just about what you paid for it. I just heard that Harvard is adding a new class devoted to Taylor Swift songs! I'm sure that will get you a job. All I'm saying is, I'm really beginning to question the true value of a degree these days. I hear a lot of graduates claiming they can't find work. What they mean is they can't find a job willing to pay them what they figure they are worth. Just because you went deeply into debt to obtain that basket weaving degree doesn't mean I'm going to pay 100,000 a year for you to weave a basket. 

  It's beginning to look like obtaining a degree is really just obtaining a license. It doesn't necessarily mean you are educated just that you have the "qualifications" to practice in that field. In years past you didn't need a degree in accounting to balance the book. What I mean is, anyone that knew math could do that. Then the government got involved with taxes, fees, withholdings, and a hundred other accounting things to consider. You had to go to school to learn about all of that if you wanted a level playing field.   Then those folks that knew all the loopholes and tricks demanded a bigger share. Soon you had to be licensed. The license is to cover the legal aspects. It's that way with every profession these days. You can't even do the blue-collar jobs anymore without being licensed in some fashion or working under another's license. They may not have a college degree, but they did have to pass a state administered examination and fulfill specific requirements. It wasn't cheap to get that license and it isn't cheap to keep it either. A professional always costs more. Doesn't matter what the job or service offered. Some licensed professionals are now making larger salary/earnings than a college graduate.

  There are a lot of folks that believe having a degree of any sort just makes them somehow superior to others. I see that all the time on Facebook. On my profile page I just say I went to the university of life. I've been mocked for that so many times I can't count. Why I haven't been to college, I don't have a degree, what could I possibly know? I just laugh about all that. What I heard was true, there are a lot of educated damn fools in the world. I've seen the evidence of that over the last fifty years or so. It seems like it is a badge of honor these days if you listen to what these fools are saying. They are now arguing about pronouns for Gods' sake. Harvard professors are teaching a class on Taylor Swift. Unchecked illegals entering our nation is a good thing for the country and the economy? You'd have to be a damn fool to believe that, along with electric vehicles being the future. The Clintons aren't crooked, and Biden is competent. Yeah, a bunch of educated damn fools. But they all have a degree. 

  Is the goal simply to make a lot of money? If you do, I'm sure you will be entertained, isn't that the real measure of success? How much entertainment can you afford. We are conditioned to believe that we should earn as much money as possible. You will be successful when not only can you pay your bills, but you have money to spend on entertainment. Peace of mind is money in the bank. Intelligence and education are different things altogether. It's the old adage, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink. Lots of folks at the trough these days and few are drinking, others are drowning in my opinion. Here's a simple truth. What everyone has, is of little value. A dime a dozen as we used to say. Today the government will even give you the dime if it fits the narrative. Lots of educated damn fools in the world, some things never change.