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.
I do not think young people do have a clear understanding of the economics of the situation. I don't think most kids go to college with a clear grasp on finances or what their lives will actually be like once the loans stop and they have to get jobs and pay them back.
"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."^^^I actually think this is a huge problem in our society. These same people have a hard time taking responsibility for their own actions. Maybe some adults grow out of it when they have kids or whatever and find out that no, they can't have everything they want...
But a lot of adults don't grow out of it and they end up fat / bankrupt / leaving kids with babysitter to party every weekend / etc., and then they are in denial that, in large part, their lack of prioritizing has caused whatever problems they now have.
Also...
I am a believer in the value of a Classical education, but I think this push to send everyone to university doesn't make any sense. A lot of people would be better suited to learning a trade or getting a certificate at a local community college.
