I am curious Austin, about what you think could be dispensed with as not useful?
I don't think anything should be dispensed with.
Rather, people need to have a fundamental understanding of the economics of their situation and clearly understand the tradeoffs and then make wise choices based upon clear priorities. You need a plan and need to monitor the plan.
A lot of people have no priorities. They think that any want they have is just as valid as any other and that somehow everyone of them will get fulfilled. Reality is not a concept to them.
A historian is not going to be able to focus on taking oral histories if they have to service 40K in debt. But if they have no debt, then they can work odd jobs part of the year and then work on their real job otherwise. Do you even need a degree to do history?
No doubt food needs to be put on the table, but for many gifted kids, I think multipotentiality and an awareness of the world make choosing a study path much more complicated than just choosing what is going to pay most.
There is a tension between taking it all in and getting something done, true. I struggle with this like many others.
Perhaps another way to look at it is from a freedom standpoint. Studying one thing gives you a lot more options down the road than studying something else.
