The education system has been a big topic of discussion in the ongoing presidential debate. A couple weeks ago Prana posted a video that inspired me to write this blog post. Check out the video below:
I am currently enrolled in my last year at Northern Kentucky University, and I find that the most popular question asked to students is, "What do you want to do when you graduate?" Too often the answer is, "I have no idea." I honestly believe that society has been brainwashed to think that everyone needs a college education, and then everyone with a college education deserves a well-paying job that they enjoy. I'll see students that graduate with a degree, and I'll ask why they chose to major in physics, or math, or criminal justice, or whatever they decided and the typical response is, "I don't know; I just did." These are the same people that graduate and get blue collar jobs and work for minimum wage while trying to pay off mounds of accumulated debt. It is not their fault they don't earn big salaries with their own offices or really nice homes with multiple cars. These people did exactly what they were suppose to based of what society dictates as normal and essential to a living a great life.
Yes, I think everyone should have the opportunity of a great education, but not everyone should pursue that great education. We have been molded to believe that mistakes are wrong. That if we make mistakes then the consequences are far to severe to recover from. Mistakes are ESSENTIAL to personal growth and learning. I have made many, many mistakes in my life, and I have learned from every one of them (Some took multiple times to learn from). I strongly believe that people need to personally educate themselves, and decide on a path that they wish to take before taking on the commitment of a college education.
I'm not saying college doesn't help you figure out what you want to do next, but I am saying that experiences are far greater than any education you can receive. I can attribute 99% of everything I know about marketing from working at Venturepax, and from various internships that I took part in. Not until Venturepax, did I fully decide on what I wanted to do with the (sorry for the expression) rest of my life. College didn't help me explore different internships and jobs. Giving myself the title "College Student" helped me explore different internships and jobs. College is a gateway for some people, and for others it's a large investment with a very small return.
My experience is different from others. What the Prana video taught me is that people need to be encouraged, not only to pursue a great education but also to harness their gifts and talents and share them with others. Some people were meant to be doctors, nurses, lawyers, and politicians, but some people are also meant to be blacksmiths, musicians, artists, gardeners, and zookeepers. To encourage certain professions and discourage others is a flawed system. Happiness comes in many different forms and from many different paths. A strong education is just one road to a sustainable, happy society. Unless we encourage other paths like apprenticeship or craftsmanship then we are going to continue to be stuck in one hell of a traffic jam!
The world doesn't need a better education system, we just need society to stop controlling us like puppets. Everyone is different and to generalize happiness isn't feasible and it is wrong for a society to do. In the end, our jobs are not what define us, but the relationships we make and the actions we take do. How do you define yourself?
No comments:
Post a Comment