(This drew a letter of agreement from Martin Anderson, author of IMPOSTERS IN THE TEMPLE.)

In a nation that venerates education, getting a college degree is seen as the ultimate goal, but is it? I’ve looked at what it did for me and my peers. We were ‘establishment’ types who were graduated from private and public colleges in ’63. Here are the results. (Keep in mind the difference professors and books can make.)

Astronomy- waste. Biology – terrible. Economics – could have been terrific. Education courses – infamous. English – essential when practical. Geography – delightful. Government – could have been good. History – good, but left out non-western cultures. International relations – good. A foreign language – probably useless for most. Literature – could have been good if we’d had authors like Jack London and Ernie Pyle. Logic – waste. Philosophy – waste. Psychology – should have been practical. Sociology – laughable. Speech – no impact.

We had nothing on resume writing, job hunting, managing money, traditional values, human nature, corruption, politics, military life, religious scandals, the gay world, prejudice, social classes, the fallibilities of professionals, and how to read the media.
We had nothing on maturity in relation to: friendship, courting, sex, vice, crime, religion, cults, idealism, politics, parenting, liberalism, and conservatism.

Did college make me and my peers:
– Better citizens? ————————- Slightly
– More cultured? ————————- Slightly
– Aware of various fields? ————- Too theoretically
– More employable? ——————– Not for the effort involved
– Ready for graduate school? ——— If one needs four years
– Ready for the real world? ———– No
– More mature? ————————— Not like the real world would have
– Aware of our creativity? ————– Hardly

Was college worth what it cost us, our parents and the taxpayers? ———- No.
After college, we kept few textbooks and never reviewed our notes. We were verbose. Some took jobs requiring no degree. Some went back to school to learn to type. Some sought career counseling as they had been in the wrong field.

Presently many are smart, but not intellectual, and are more subjective and prejudiced than they’d like to think. All are reluctant to consider that half of what we studied we never used, nor even heard of since college.

Many of the girls went to college to find a husband and never used their degrees.

We were conditioned to be liberal. One professor said as we got older, we would get more conservative. Prophetic, but not explained.

My degree didn’t help in teaching and writing. In social work, politics, and mental health, it was often a hindrance, as it’s ‘liberal’ bent was far off the mark and it didn’t make me ‘streetwise.’ I’m glad I didn’t go to graduate school in those fields.

My real education was: career counseling, living in slums and in New York City, serving in the domestic version of the Peace Corps, running a home for mental patients, renting rooms in my house, being self-employed, the fallible media, and life itself. As it turned out, I had to unlearn much of what college and the media had taught me. Hence my interest in noted author Ray Bradbury’s saying he was ‘one of the few lucky enough not to go to college.’ (Famed Russian author Solzhenitsyn said his ‘education’ was being a prisoner in Siberia.)

College consists of missing information, useful information, useless information, and misinformation. Those who didn’t finish didn’t miss as much as they’re led to believe.

The useful parts were: – Vocabulary and concepts. – Learning to think, speak and write objectively and critically. – Exposing myths. – Independent study. – Writing papers on favorite subjects. – Exchange student programs (tops). – Student government, Model United Nations, and special interest clubs.

College should retain these, but require achievement in: 1) Traditional values, 2) Mental health, 3) Physical health, 4) Career counseling, 5) Internships, and
6) Practical courses. Students could be tested and given credit for achievements in outside activities that fit these categories. If this was done, more families would get their students into such activities. Everyone would gain – students, parents, professors, colleges and society.

Al Garner

I saw you on Fox News this morning. I wanted to look at your website regarding work disconnect but I can’t remember the website. Can you send it to me please?

Also, I enjoyed the picture you shared about diplomas vs skilled labor. You are so right. I see the problem everyday. People who are highly skilled but without diplomas are withering away. They are made to feel inferior to people with academic skills. Many peopls with diplomas have student loans but aren’t working. They have incurred student loan debts can’t find jobs. Now they are plagued with escalating interest plus the student loan itself, can’t get a job, and cannot pay their debts.

I would like to read more from the work disconnect website. You are well respected. I am so happy you are helping people find jobs. It was nice to hear Catapillar has jobs in Las Vegas but sad their aren’t people to fill those skilled operator positions.

Connie

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I think there could become a few duplicates, but an exceedingly handy listing! I’ve tweeted this. Several thanks for sharing!…

I posted a comment on this “Sound Off!” board and I would like to thank you for your deep concerns about America and what you are offering as help for America and Americans. I too, am very deeply concerned about job creation, plastic pollution and other things that are in need of in Americas infrastructure.

I am a member of mikeroweWORKS and I have sent a request for you to contact me to discuss what my company has to offer. I am leaving my office number, cell number and email address in this post. I hope to hear from you soon and if we all can work together we came provide some solutions to today’s problems America faces.

Michael V. Moses

Chairman/CEO

MVM Research and Development Group, Inc.

I am sending this to you with the same request you ask of Gov. Romney and President Obama by asking them to contact you. I have sent you an email requesting a conversation with you by phone or email. I would prefer the old fashion way of talking in person via phone. My company has a lot to offer the world and I would realy like to see what you think about it. I am very passionate about job creation, which my company will have to have tens of thousands of employees, life and property saving products and plastic pollution that my company provides. This could be the dirtiest job you have ever seen and could be the most meaningful dirty job you have ever seen!

I hope to hear from you soon..

Sincerly,

MVM @ MVMRD

Thanks for the interesting article that you have written. Yes, we Americans have found the possibility of ignoring all things that make us comfortable. We as Americans should be ashamed of ourselves and the responsibility that we let foreigners take care of our basic needs. I hope that you message will reach many more people throughout this country and wake up the minds of the simple American man or woman. So sorry to learn that your show has been cancelled, but I wonder ” were Americans to lazy to flip the channel or were they looking for the remote control?”

I vote Democrat, but I will say that I agree with everything you said in both letters. I do think it bad form that the President never responded, and it will be equally bad form if Mr. Romney doesn’t.

This country has lost so much respect for the actual hard work needed to give us all everything we need. That’s the root cause of a lot of problems, including the whole “They’re taking our jobs!” issue. Someone figured out that most Americans turn their noses up at construction, meat processing, etc., but immigrants would do them at a far lower pay rate, and there you go. It’s honest work, but we as a country decided we were better than that, as you point out.