Tuesday Morning Open Thread

The problem is that too many people started to identify colleges and universities as glorified trade schools for jobs requiring more in-depth studies. I’m always concerned when I read or hear someone discussing the need for more specialized focus in our higher learning institutions. I am in a field that is heavily reliant upon math and science, but my understanding of language, literature, psychology, sociology, history, etc. actually provides me with more tools that help me do my job. Those that don’t see the benefits of subjects outside of the obvious scope of their interests, miss more than they realize.

I understand your point, but higher education’s original purpose was not a job training. Most of us do go to school for a specific type of career, but even then a bachelor’s degree is not designed for a specific job. They are designed for specific knowledge, not a specific job function that uses that knowledge. As an electrical engineer, my BSEE did not prepare me exactly for my job as an automated controls engineer. It prepared me to understand how electricity works and the many components and design techniques that revolve around electricity. There were numerous employment opportunities that could be pursued at that point.

I understand your point, but higher education’s original purpose was not a job training. Most of us do go to school for a specific type of career, but even then a bachelor’s degree is not designed for a specific job. They are designed for specific knowledge, not a specific job function that uses that knowledge. As an electrical engineer, my BSEE did not prepare me exactly for my job as an automated controls engineer. It prepared me to understand how electricity works and the many components and design techniques that revolve around electricity. There were numerous employment opportunities that could be pursued at that point.

First of all, high school seldom does a good job of covering the subject matter in detail, and, as history is subjective in its interpretation, different presentations of the material can drastically alter your perception and understanding of the material. In addition, history is gravely important to both engineering, business, and any number of other career paths.

I’m sorry that you really believe that “rounded knowledge” is bullshit, but there is a reason why “renaissance men” are revered the way they are. That type of expanded background allows for intuitive leaps in all facets of life that you couldn’t make if your knowledge was simply specialized to one aspect of learning or an individual skillset.

Also, based on the description that ClemsonGirl provided about the Harry Potter, that class was about the sociological effects of that book. It was not being presented as a literature class; consequently, it can still be a class that provides well-rounded learning in a current sociological phenomenon.

but I really don’t want to see any sort of national service requirement ever instituted in this country. I just don’t think people would go for it because the nation at large is still fairly individualistic. Furthermore, forcing people to do things “for the right reasons” is a difficult philosophical proposition even in extreme cases such as existentially threatening wars, so I really don’t want Uncle Sam deciding that my kids have to go build houses somewhere for a year because it’s good for society.

My history minor took care of a lot of that, but the cultural requirement forced you to take a cultural diversity class that was usually long boring and filled with people that didn’t want to be there.

If women are just naturally thin that’s one thing, it works and it’s how they’re supposed to be. But if you have some voluptuousness to you, then please please please don’t go ruining a wonderful thing.

And someone had already answered.

I find that a lot of “pretty faces” in the eyes of the general populace are boring to me.
Personality is an entirely different issue, and I’m not willing to assume anything about the personalities of people who are paid to pretend to be other people.

But it still exists(!) so I feel much better.