Sunday, November 11, 2012

I Change Lives, You Don't

You know how 18 year old kids when they declare "education" as their major say they do so because they want to "change the lives of children?"

I always got a kick out of that because you effectively have children claiming they're going to change the lives of children slightly younger than them...and usually for the worse because they themselves have nowhere near the real world experience to make them adults and therefore impart practical and helpful wisdom upon the youth.

So you can imagine the warm fuzzies when I got this review about "Worthless" from a 17 year old kid:

"Worthless" by Aaron Clarey is perhaps the most eye-opening book I have ever read. As a 17 year old high school senior, I, along with many of my friends, receive very little guidance in choosing our major. Everyone tells us that we can truly make it with whatever we choose, and that our major will be more than our moneys worth. "Worthless" provides the disillusionment that we might not want, but absolutely need when picking our major. All of Clarey's explanations make logical sense, and while his slightly annoying Republican side occasionally emerges, his tone is mostly a blunt honesty that is a shower of wisdom. Read this book, then give it to someone else who needs to pick a major, and perhaps eventually everyone will know the truths within the university system.

I'll admit an inch of warm fuzzies and pride, but what gets me though is that these counselors and STILL not telling these kids the truth.

You education (ahem, COUGH COUGH, WHEEZE WHEEZE!!!) "professionals" want to help "change the lives" of children?

Here's something revolutionary-

Instead of changing them for the worse, how about you tell them the truth and change their lives for the better.  They'll appreciate it more and be less likely to cut your social security and public pension when they get older and see just how valuable the "education" you gave them was.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

"...and while his slightly annoying Republican side occasionally emerges..."

What the frig does that mean!??!!? Cap, you need to create a sequel to your book...and send it to the munchkin...he needs to be further decontaiminated!

Steve

Anonymous said...

I gave a copy to the neighbor's kid, who is headed off to college. Now I'm thinking of giving one to my coworker, who's daughter has decided to change majors from computer science (after two years studying it) to psychology. Note: His daughter is NOT gonna cut it as a stripper....

Captain Capitalism said...

Oh let the kid get his digs in. We can handle it.

Unknown said...

Most of my high school teachers and my guidance counselor meant well, but you hit the nail on the head when you see they've had no real world experience outside of their academic profession. My guidance counselor never asked me about what I wanted to study in college or whether any of my plans would be viable in the real world or whether I'd even be able to pay my student loans back at all. There wasn't enough oversight or honesty on their part.

Ironically, the overweight papaprofessional who I've mentioned several times here warned me about Boston University, one of the schools I had applied to, and how Boston happens to be one of the most expensive cities in the country and the various mistakes college freshmen tend to make. She seemed to have one of the best grips on reality out of most of the school faculty I had talked to at the time. I could tell that she never wanted to get into her profession to begin with and was somehow trying to save me from making a mistake that would have made me end up in her position.

By the way, I've always wanted to read The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money just for the sake of learning the other economic arguments out there. Would you recemmend doing that or should I take everything Keynes said with a grain of salt? I'm still trying to get through Thomas Sowell's Basic Economics first.

Captain Capitalism said...

That gal sounds like somebody you should listen to there Roberto.

As for reading Keynes work, NO.

Not because i disagree with him, but reading that or "The Wealth of Nations" is SOOOOO DRY and boring that unless you have a degree already it wont' make a lick of sense.

Start with Basic Economics, Cappy Cap, "Economics in One Lesson" Khan's Academy, that stuff will help you out more.

Then, MAYBE go on to read the "classics" however, I think they're slowly becoming obsoleted.

Vicomte said...

Reading Worthless as a non-college educated twenty-two year-old was fun. I thought of everyone I knew who had just graduated and was all 'That sounds about right...'.

I have to say, though, Cap, you haven't been exactly motivational in regard to my potential return to school.

Still kicking the medical idea around in my head.

Cogitans Iuvenis said...

Cap'n you should write a book titled.

"My Annoying Republican Side"

with a sub-headline.

"All the things you need, but don't want, to hear about college, finance, and economics."

Anonymous said...

Cap'n - Just finished listening to you windows movie Capitalism vs. Socialism. Ran across it while I was cleaning up my PC.

Outstanding!

As for:
"...and while his slightly annoying Republican side occasionally emerges..."

I'm not sure the Cap'n is ever 'slightly annoying', 'fullbore annoying' is more like it.

And Republican? I'd call you 'rational libertarian'

Anonymous said...

http://www.ourcivilisation.com/language/smitha.htm

http://www.ourcivilisation.com/language/keynes.htm

This is a great comparison of Keynes vs Smith. Smith reads as well as ever. Keynes needs footnotes.

But, both of them were from beta male eras, and only know of that perspective.