Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Yes, it helps ...

... to be able to think: More things in heaven and earth, Horatio. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

The best preparation for life is an old-fashioned classical education. Unfortunately, it's hard to come by these days. And the premise of even this article is that one goes to school to prepare for employment. No, one goes to school to be educated, which has to do with being not doing.

2 comments:

  1. During my 36 years in the academic world, I watched the shift from "education as preparation for life" to "education as preparation for a job" accelerate. Often, although not entirely, it was the consequence of academic administrations who more and more are converting colleges and universities to business models of operation, up to and including referring to students as "customers" and "consumers." This degeneration of higher education played a large part in my decision to retire 8 years earlier than I had intended; I know a number of others who've retired earlier than they intended to for similar reasons.

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  2. In the UK now, it is the same government department "education and employment".

    I don't endorse the philosophy, but in a world where people have to support themselves (as opposed to being wealthy amateurs), I think pragmatically that being educated is the best way to an interesting job, actually. It is certainly what gave me an interesting job, and others that I knew while being educated. Whreas people who don't bother with education are more likely to end up with dull jobs. I know there are plenty of exceptions, but for most people, who are not budding entrepreneurs, education is their best bet towards a fulfilling life.

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