Why do those without a degree feel the need to belittle those with a degree? (employees, degrees)

[neekah18]

I have noticed on this board that as more people become unemployed, those without degrees have made sure to give a dig at those with degrees in almost every thread? I keep reading "a waste of money and time","you could have a great career without a degree...I know a guy/girl making six figures with only a hs diploma", "I make good money without a degree" as if to say those who went to college and took out student loans are idiots?

Has anyone else noticed this? Do people with degrees think they are better than those that do not, or do people without college degrees feel they have to overcompensate by saying these things?

Just wondering because in reality the majority of us are in the same boat. Unemployed and looking.

[TKramar]

Yes, and degree or not, they're still "looking".

I have a degree in business management. Never helped me get hired. My experience, however, did.

[LoveBoating]

Even though I'm somewhat to old (at 59) to get a Degree, I (and my wife) think it's a great and valuable thing to have one! Years ago (some 20 plus) employers didn't ask that much for Degrees and back then many careers didn't have "Certifications" with them. Today, very, very different! My wife got her Bachelor's Degree in Business/Accounting when she was 49 yrs. old. I was shocked and very proud of her for that!
For many jobs today, employers will demand a Degree......if you don't have one, you're "out of luck", PERIOD!!

[Asta]

10 years ago I went back to school to get a degree in my field. After I graduated and started working in a medical office environment, the "old-timers" there used to tell me that I had wasted my money and time because they didn't have degrees, just years of experience in the field. It used to irritate me to no end because it was no secret that these "old-timers" were really "dead wood" with substandard skills and knowledge for their positions, and a questionable work ethic. I frequently found myself in the position of correcting their mistakes or helping them on projects, something that I would not have had to do if they had a basic understanding of what their jobs entailed. These people aren't doing things any differently than they were 30 years ago when they first started working, and are completely out of touch with current laws, regulations, and standards. How they manage to keep their jobs, nobody knows, except to say that they are long-term employees who are only a couple of years away from retirement, and we'll be rid of them soon enough.

On the other hand, my bf had a job where he made substantially more money that I did, and he had no higher education. But his job was more blue collar and required quite a bit of hard labor in sometimes dangerous situations. He was also required to work swing shifts. He used to say to me all the time that even though I had the brains, he had the brawn, and he was making the bucks. So I guess it all depends on what line of work you're in.

[djmilf]

Originally Posted by neekah18

I have noticed on this board that as more people become unemployed, those without degrees have made sure to give a dig at those with degrees in almost every thread? I keep reading "a waste of money and time","you could have a great career without a degree...I know a guy/girl making six figures with only a hs diploma", "I make good money without a degree" as if to say those who went to college and took out student loans are idiots?

Has anyone else noticed this? Do people with degrees think they are better than those that do not, or do people without college degrees feel they have to overcompensate by saying these things?

Just wondering because in reality the majority of us are in the same boat. Unemployed and looking.

Ya know, Bill Gates really gets on my nerves too!

The truth is that a diploma is only one route to professional success...and isn't necessarily a guarantee of success. It's quite possible to become economically successful without a college education, but you'd better really have something special (like a combination of talent, intelligence, hard-won experience, persistence, or family connections) to use in place of that degree.

There are some without college degrees who have spent their careers (successful or not) butting up against the arrogance and discrimmination of those with degrees. Some probably enjoy getting their digs in as a form of "pay-back".

Disclaimer: I have a good-paying job in a field that usually requires at least a bachelor's degree, but I only got to my senior year in college. I used to resent the Human Resources people because I knew that they would always discard my resume. I finally realized that the HR people are only covering their asses -- if they make a bad hire, they need justification as to why they hired the person in the first place. I've since discovered that networking contacts and a 20 year record of relative success can be more important than a college degree. Sort of like a side door into a job after the HR people stop you at the front door.

[Driller1]

I have said I have a good business with a HS only education. It was not a dig at any time. I drill. LOL
Not something most could do. It is an art.

[HKB]

The sad truth is that a college degree is almost a minimum requirement just to get an entry-level white collar job today (and many blue collar jobs as well). I call it "education inflation". As more and more people go to college, the value of a college degree goes down. Today, a basic 4-year Bachelors degree means about as much as a HS diploma did 30 years ago. Graduate degrees have become what a regular college degree was 30 years ago.

I have a 4-year degree. I don't belittle those that have more or less education than me. To each their own.

[tony23]

Those of us without degrees tend to spend much of our lives being looked down on by those who have degrees. A lot of people seem to think that having that piece of paper somehow makes someone special. And that not having it means that you're not capable of doing the job.

As someone without a degree working in a career field that typically requires a degree, I have encountered this attitude a lot - most often from employers or from new graduates.

You can only take so much before lashing out - that's probably what you're seeing.

[artsyguy]

I've seen a lot more belittling from people with higher education than with no education..............

[artsyguy]

Hey Tony,

I have a friend without a degree and I do not look down on him. He is actually smart and has common sense unlike most people.

Originally Posted by tony23

Those of us without degrees tend to spend much of our lives being looked down on by those who have degrees. A lot of people seem to think that having that piece of paper somehow makes someone special. And that not having it means that you're not capable of doing the job.

As someone without a degree working in a career field that typically requires a degree, I have encountered this attitude a lot - most often from employers or from new graduates.

You can only take so much before lashing out - that's probably what you're seeing.