@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal

...transmitting, not only information, but also the academic approach to information and its associated skills, to the next generation, was of deep importance.

This is what humans have relied on from the beginning of time to secure their individual survival and the survival of the entire community. We've aways stood on the shoulders of those who came before us to build on the craft and innovate new discoveries and applications. The community would pour all their knowledge and skill into each new generation, because that generation's Time would come. They would be called on to lead the community to safety and abundance. Without that education, how will they take care of the elders and the children?

And yet, that is the very thing that seems to be broken. This is very grave.

The new generation is now born into a crushing life-long debt they will never be able to pay down. They are denied good health and a serious education — the primary components of Liberty. If they break down, they may be incarcerated based on old laws they never consented to, and will be stigmatized for life. They may be blocked from the globally competitive work force, many will find food and shelter only by mercy of family and friends. Their human capital is wasted. They don't know where to find their power. When their Time comes to lead and support the community, what resources will they have? There may be an oligarchy to organize them as serfs, and extract low-level work. But that's not going to be enough in the world that lies ahead. The necessary
social investment in the people has simply stopped. Selfishness, greed, and denial took over. What good can come of this, I wonder.

I don't recall a civilization that delibritely short-changed their own children. History always told the opposite story. It's disorienting.

#4.1.1.1 Degrees are there to assure any academic institution I might work for that I've had, not only the correct training in skills, but--much less discussed and more important--the correct acculturation.

Now that corporate is taking/has taken? over everything, this matters a lot less, but once upon a time the idea was that transmitting, not only information, but also the academic approach to information and its associated skills, to the next generation, was of deep importance.

Americans have always tended not to like academics because of their long association with things like aristocracy and well-funded monasteries (that's where we came from) but there are a few important things that went along with our particular tradition of rationalism.

Using a degree as a conversation-stopper or a crutch to rely on in argument breaks with the tradition of rationalism that the process of getting a degree is supposed to put into your head. Therefore, anyone who does this shows that they should never have been given the degree in the first place, as they are using it to pull rank the same way any wealthy stockbroker might use his economic power. It's taking what should be a sign of participation in a tradition and turning it into an assertion of cheap privilege.