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Recurring College Educations?

NeverTrump

NeverTrump

Exposing GOP since 2015
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It's come to my attention that a lot of people don't spend time learning stuff outside of their first round of schooling. Let's say all they went to school for was a Bachelor's Degree and they got it in 1980. That means, they haven't stepped foot inside a classroom in almost 40 years! As I am not even 40 years old, that is simply astounding to me. How could you not bother learning anything new for 40 years? Then you have the audacity to complain about your job being replaced by computers or taken over by someone who is already trained on it and willing to work for less $$$$?

The way I see it, this also relates to the generational gap. How people tend to get more conservative as they get older and they see each new iteration of each new generation as getting more and more liberal. This is NOT the case. We are just learning more stuff. In different ways than how you understood it. This is the fundamental building blocks of science. The science just advanced more. If you spent 40 years doing the same thing over and over again, and not learning anything new or never bothered checking out new methods that could help you, of course you aren't going to understand it!!

Now don't get me wrong. As people grow older they do get hobbies. Some people play with guns, cars, build trains, or build rockets. But that's only learning one thing adequately enough so you can get bragging rights with your friends. That's why hobbies rarely make good businesses. That's not exploring a wide range topics on a daily basis and being graded on how well you know it. That's also not interacting with different people of different backgrounds in an educational setting that focuses on their culture and how they are different/similar.

So why is it in this society do we place all the value of getting our degrees when we are in our 20s? Shouldn't there be a system where one should have to get a new degree when they reach 40? Maybe there should be more emphasis of educating older people as well as younger people. I think that mindset would fix a lot of problems in this society.

Obviously I'm not talking about people who go back to school in their 40s already.
 
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You don't have to "go to school" in order to continue learning nor does having a degree mean you're educated.
 
NeverTrumpGOP said:
It's come to my attention that a lot of people don't spend time learning stuff outside of their first round of schooling. Let's say all they went to school for was a Bachelor's Degree and they got it in 1980. That means, they haven't stepped foot inside a classroom in almost 40 years! As I am not even 40 years old, that is simply astounding to me. How could you not bother learning anything new for 40 years? Then you have the audacity to complain about your job being replaced by computers or taken over by someone who is already trained on it and willing to work for less $$$$?

The way I see it, this also relates to the generational gap. How people tend to get more conservative as they get older and they see each new iteration of each new generation as getting more and more liberal. This is NOT the case. We are just learning more stuff. In different ways than how you understood it. This is the fundamental building blocks of science. The science just advanced more. If you spent 40 years doing the same thing over and over again, and not learning anything new or never bothered checking out new methods that could help you, of course you aren't going to understand it!!

Now don't get me wrong. As people grow older they do get hobbies. Some people play with guns, cars, build trains, or build rockets. But that's only learning one thing adequately enough so you can get bragging rights with your friends. That's why hobbies rarely make good businesses. That's not exploring a wide range topics on a daily basis and being graded on how well you know it. That's also not interacting with different people of different backgrounds in an educational setting that focuses on their culture and how they are different/similar.

So why is it in this society do we place all the value of getting our degrees when we are in our 20s? Shouldn't there be a system where one should have to get a new degree when they reach 40? Maybe there should be more emphasis of educating older people as well as younger people. I think that mindset would fix a lot of problems in this society.
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Maybe your assumption that learning only occurs in a classroom needs to be challenged. I think it is far from accurate. For most professions I'd argue that field experience is far more valuable. College is just the first step. Gives you the basic knowledge from which to grow your skills, knowledge and experience.
 
Bullseye said:
Maybe your assumption that learning only occurs in a classroom needs to be challenged. I think it is far from accurate. For most professions I'd argue that field experience is far more valuable. College is just the first step. Gives you the basic knowledge from which to grow your skills, knowledge and experience.
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From the way people talk and how certain businesses operate, I've seen that basic knowledge get skewed after 40 years of hardened beliefs and an unwillingness to change or to at least adapt to it.
 
NeverTrumpGOP said:
From the way people talk and how certain businesses operate, I've seen that basic knowledge get skewed after 40 years of hardened beliefs and an unwillingness to change or to at least adapt to it.
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I think you'll find the ones that fall victim to those conditions are the first let go and the one having the hardest time finding new work. I've worked in the software field for over 25 years, and the people I've seen succeed and advance are the ones the dive into new technologies, languages and systems. Whenever I've interview for a job and someone asks me if I'm familiar with a particular facet my response( if I'm not) is always, "No, but give me a book and a weekend and I will be". Several bosses have told me that attitude was what got me the job.
 
NeverTrumpGOP said:
It's come to my attention that a lot of people don't spend time learning stuff outside of their first round of schooling. Let's say all they went to school for was a Bachelor's Degree and they got it in 1980. That means, they haven't stepped foot inside a classroom in almost 40 years! As I am not even 40 years old, that is simply astounding to me. How could you not bother learning anything new for 40 years? Then you have the audacity to complain about your job being replaced by computers or taken over by someone who is already trained on it and willing to work for less $$$$?

The way I see it, this also relates to the generational gap. How people tend to get more conservative as they get older and they see each new iteration of each new generation as getting more and more liberal. This is NOT the case. We are just learning more stuff. In different ways than how you understood it. This is the fundamental building blocks of science. The science just advanced more. If you spent 40 years doing the same thing over and over again, and not learning anything new or never bothered checking out new methods that could help you, of course you aren't going to understand it!!

Now don't get me wrong. As people grow older they do get hobbies. Some people play with guns, cars, build trains, or build rockets. But that's only learning one thing adequately enough so you can get bragging rights with your friends. That's why hobbies rarely make good businesses. That's not exploring a wide range topics on a daily basis and being graded on how well you know it. That's also not interacting with different people of different backgrounds in an educational setting that focuses on their culture and how they are different/similar.

So why is it in this society do we place all the value of getting our degrees when we are in our 20s? Shouldn't there be a system where one should have to get a new degree when they reach 40? Maybe there should be more emphasis of educating older people as well as younger people. I think that mindset would fix a lot of problems in this society.

Obviously I'm not talking about people who go back to school in their 40s already.
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You know what they say about people who assume, don't you?
Some of the dumbest people I know have degrees coming out of their wazoos...
 
There are a lot of advantages to college for young adults straight out of high school that have nothing to do with with getting a degree. It can be a nice transition into adulthood and self sufficiency. But once you are in your fourties and have that chunk of life experience under your belt, there are far better ways to learn new things than traditional college, IMO.
 
Josie said:
You don't have to "go to school" in order to continue learning nor does having a degree mean you're educated.
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This is very true.

And IMO when it comes to certain "social justice" degrees ("insert chosen Identity" Studies) it is more like indoctrinated rather than educated.
 
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Skeptic Bob said:
There are a lot of advantages to college for young adults straight out of high school that have nothing to do with with getting a degree. It can be a nice transition into adulthood and self sufficiency. But once you are in your fourties and have that chunk of life experience under your belt, there are far better ways to learn new things than traditional college, IMO.
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Especially when an undergrad education is, if it's a good one, chiefly about learning how to learn. Once you've internalized that, your education continues for the rest of your life.

I suppose some never internalize it, though.
 
NeverTrumpGOP said:
It's come to my attention that a lot of people don't spend time learning stuff outside of their first round of schooling. Let's say all they went to school for was a Bachelor's Degree and they got it in 1980. That means, they haven't stepped foot inside a classroom in almost 40 years! As I am not even 40 years old, that is simply astounding to me. How could you not bother learning anything new for 40 years? Then you have the audacity to complain about your job being replaced by computers or taken over by someone who is already trained on it and willing to work for less $$$$?

The way I see it, this also relates to the generational gap. How people tend to get more conservative as they get older and they see each new iteration of each new generation as getting more and more liberal. This is NOT the case. We are just learning more stuff. In different ways than how you understood it. This is the fundamental building blocks of science. The science just advanced more. If you spent 40 years doing the same thing over and over again, and not learning anything new or never bothered checking out new methods that could help you, of course you aren't going to understand it!!

Now don't get me wrong. As people grow older they do get hobbies. Some people play with guns, cars, build trains, or build rockets. But that's only learning one thing adequately enough so you can get bragging rights with your friends. That's why hobbies rarely make good businesses. That's not exploring a wide range topics on a daily basis and being graded on how well you know it. That's also not interacting with different people of different backgrounds in an educational setting that focuses on their culture and how they are different/similar.

So why is it in this society do we place all the value of getting our degrees when we are in our 20s? Shouldn't there be a system where one should have to get a new degree when they reach 40? Maybe there should be more emphasis of educating older people as well as younger people. I think that mindset would fix a lot of problems in this society.

Obviously I'm not talking about people who go back to school in their 40s already.
Click to expand...

Learning has to be a life long endeavor in order to get good at it, and now that the University has failed the least time you can spend there the better.
 
Harshaw said:
Especially when an undergrad education is, if it's a good one, chiefly about learning how to learn. Once you've internalized that, your education continues for the rest of your life.

I suppose some never internalize it, though.
Click to expand...


OH the Good Old Days....How I miss thee....
 
NeverTrumpGOP said:
It's come to my attention that a lot of people don't spend time learning stuff outside of their first round of schooling. Let's say all they went to school for was a Bachelor's Degree and they got it in 1980. That means, they haven't stepped foot inside a classroom in almost 40 years! As I am not even 40 years old, that is simply astounding to me. How could you not bother learning anything new for 40 years? Then you have the audacity to complain about your job being replaced by computers or taken over by someone who is already trained on it and willing to work for less $$$$?

The way I see it, this also relates to the generational gap. How people tend to get more conservative as they get older and they see each new iteration of each new generation as getting more and more liberal. This is NOT the case. We are just learning more stuff. In different ways than how you understood it. This is the fundamental building blocks of science. The science just advanced more. If you spent 40 years doing the same thing over and over again, and not learning anything new or never bothered checking out new methods that could help you, of course you aren't going to understand it!!

Now don't get me wrong. As people grow older they do get hobbies. Some people play with guns, cars, build trains, or build rockets. But that's only learning one thing adequately enough so you can get bragging rights with your friends. That's why hobbies rarely make good businesses. That's not exploring a wide range topics on a daily basis and being graded on how well you know it. That's also not interacting with different people of different backgrounds in an educational setting that focuses on their culture and how they are different/similar.

So why is it in this society do we place all the value of getting our degrees when we are in our 20s? Shouldn't there be a system where one should have to get a new degree when they reach 40? Maybe there should be more emphasis of educating older people as well as younger people. I think that mindset would fix a lot of problems in this society.

Obviously I'm not talking about people who go back to school in their 40s already.
Click to expand...

So my BS is in accounting, with minors in computer science, and business management received in early 80’s

I have never used the computer aspect of my degree....and have held accounting/management jobs for the last 35 plus years

When I started, people were still using green ledger 18 column books....then Lotus 123 came out, and eventually other software programs came about....if you didn’t stay current, you didn’t stay employed....if you are not proficient with excel dont even bother applying at 95% of the jobs in the country....

Adapting as you age is a must....re-education in my field means staying current with the new GAAP rules, and new tax laws

Having to go back to school now....not needed
 
NeverTrumpGOP said:
It's come to my attention that a lot of people don't spend time learning stuff outside of their first round of schooling. Let's say all they went to school for was a Bachelor's Degree and they got it in 1980. That means, they haven't stepped foot inside a classroom in almost 40 years! As I am not even 40 years old, that is simply astounding to me. How could you not bother learning anything new for 40 years? Then you have the audacity to complain about your job being replaced by computers or taken over by someone who is already trained on it and willing to work for less $$$$?

The way I see it, this also relates to the generational gap. How people tend to get more conservative as they get older and they see each new iteration of each new generation as getting more and more liberal. This is NOT the case. We are just learning more stuff. In different ways than how you understood it. This is the fundamental building blocks of science. The science just advanced more. If you spent 40 years doing the same thing over and over again, and not learning anything new or never bothered checking out new methods that could help you, of course you aren't going to understand it!!

Now don't get me wrong. As people grow older they do get hobbies. Some people play with guns, cars, build trains, or build rockets. But that's only learning one thing adequately enough so you can get bragging rights with your friends. That's why hobbies rarely make good businesses. That's not exploring a wide range topics on a daily basis and being graded on how well you know it. That's also not interacting with different people of different backgrounds in an educational setting that focuses on their culture and how they are different/similar.

So why is it in this society do we place all the value of getting our degrees when we are in our 20s? Shouldn't there be a system where one should have to get a new degree when they reach 40? Maybe there should be more emphasis of educating older people as well as younger people. I think that mindset would fix a lot of problems in this society.

Obviously I'm not talking about people who go back to school in their 40s already.
Click to expand...

Red:
I think that's true of some folks and not of others.

For myself and my professional peers, conservatism is exhibited by increasing degrees of risk aversion. As goes one's career, one of the best ways to minimize risk, in particular the risk that one will become obsolete, is to actively undertake ongoing professional education. Indeed, I don't know any (unretired) professionals who don't spend at least six hours a week educating themselves on new discoveries, trends, techniques, strategies, etc. pertaining to their field. It is, in contrast, far riskier, more liberal if one prefers that lingo, to "go with what one already knows" and not build on it by continually educating oneself and learning new skills.


Blue:
No.

If one wants to learn a new discipline, well, sure, go get a master's degree or a second one or a second PhD in "whatever." (There's not much point in getting another bachelor's degree.) Lots of folks do that. Hell, that's what over 90% of the folks who get MBAs do.
 
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