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It's a broad term, in my opinion. The most traditional meaning is being formally or officially educated as in having a diploma or degree of some sort. The other less conventional use of the word is for someone who has a breadth of knowledge about things in general and is able to convey that knowledge intelligently....but don't go by me.
Agreed. I think there is a dual meaning for the word 'educated.' That's why we're unlikely to reach a conclusion on this thread. Some people subscribe more to its traditional meaning and will say things like 'Master's degree and higher' while others will go with the more general definition of 'well rounded, wide range of interests.'
What about behaviors/mannerisms? Does anyone here equate them with education? I say this because since I was small my mom used to refer to crass people or even people whose manners were lacking a bit as 'uneducated.' This without knowing the amount of schooling they had.
I have actually seen this (my mom's attitude) parodied in movies, usually when an upper class person met a 'regular Joe' and found almost everything he did offensive lol (i.e. sitting at the rich person's desk and going through their personal computer without being told he could). My mom can definitely be a bit pompous but it did help me become more conscious of my own mannerisms.
Does anyone else feel this way?
I once saw a reality show (I believe it was called 'American Princess') that dealt with teaching etiquette to a group of (usually unrefined) women and 'crowning' whoever did best in the end. Of course, mannerisms tend to vary according to socioeconomic status. That's why some people look down on the 'new rich' as they're seen as unrefined even though they have money. This is probably the closest I can find to my mom's definition of educated.
Does anyone else believe that mannerisms/etiquette have anything to do with being educated and, if not, what would you call someone who is crass, impolite, pays no attention to etiquette versus someone who does?
Also, do you believe that if someone is newly wealthy or newly schooled (they're parents don't have formal education) and they lack in refinement and manners, should they still be referred to as educated? I admit I have mixed feelings about this. My mom would say a resounding NO, but what if they have a college or higher degree yet no 'class.'
If you're the guy on Jeapordy that's clicking the answer button halfway through the question and racking up 6- 10 grand you're educated. If you're the other two contestants just standing there like a barn on the side of the road with less than 500 you're not.
Agreed. I think there is a dual meaning for the word 'educated.' That's why we're unlikely to reach a conclusion on this thread. Some people subscribe more to its traditional meaning and will say things like 'Master's degree and higher' while others will go with the more general definition of 'well rounded, wide range of interests.'
What about behaviors/mannerisms? Does anyone here equate them with education? I say this because since I was small my mom used to refer to crass people or even people whose manners were lacking a bit as 'uneducated.' This without knowing the amount of schooling they had.
I have actually seen this (my mom's attitude) parodied in movies, usually when an upper class person met a 'regular Joe' and found almost everything he did offensive lol (i.e. sitting at the rich person's desk and going through their personal computer without being told he could). My mom can definitely be a bit pompous but it did help me become more conscious of my own mannerisms.
Does anyone else feel this way?
I once saw a reality show (I believe it was called 'American Princess') that dealt with teaching etiquette to a group of (usually unrefined) women and 'crowning' whoever did best in the end. Of course, mannerisms tend to vary according to socioeconomic status. That's why some people look down on the 'new rich' as they're seen as unrefined even though they have money. This is probably the closest I can find to my mom's definition of educated.
Does anyone else believe that mannerisms/etiquette have anything to do with being educated and, if not, what would you call someone who is crass, impolite, pays no attention to etiquette versus someone who does?
Also, do you believe that if someone is newly wealthy or newly schooled (they're parents don't have formal education) and they lack in refinement and manners, should they still be referred to as educated? I admit I have mixed feelings about this. My mom would say a resounding NO, but what if they have a college or higher degree yet no 'class.'
This is an interesting post. It brings to mind a concept I've recently come to realize - and that is that some folks are, in regard to their education, the equivalent of 'nuevo riche'. I think one can be educated, even formally, but lack the class and refinement one might expect to go along with the education. (This is what I think of Bill Maher who has a BA from Cornell). So I don't think education and class are necessarily mutual, but I do think class generally correlates with education. I'm just speculating with no real evidence here, but somehow I've been led to believe college used to be a more prestigious endeavor, where the aforementioned correlation was much stronger. In recent decades, with more and more of the masses attending universities, I think that has changed.
Personally, I don't think it's classy or my place to call somebody out who does something inappropriate, crude, crass, whatever. I might if it's somebody I care about and would try to do it on a way in which they wouldn't feel attacked, as well as not in front of anybody else. That said, I do think one can tell some folks are likely uneducated if they are crude enough that it's blatantly obvious. However, at the same time I think one can be misled to believe somebody is more educated than actuality because they are classy and well-mannered. A person can grow up in an estabished upper-class environment and not go to college, for example. But at the same time, I think some people become educated simply by their socialization and surroundings growing up. Of course, your mom may have been just helping give you direction.
If you're the guy on Jeapordy that's clicking the answer button halfway through the question and racking up 6- 10 grand you're educated. If you're the other two contestants just standing there like a barn on the side of the road with less than 500 you're not.
Put that into this context:
The Korean guy who wins the world Scrabble tournament every year can't speak English. He has simply memorized all valid tile combinations.
Where does he go on your scale of "educated"?
Possessing quick recall of a huge number of facts would not meet anybody's definition of "educated". Especially if those facts are the registration numbers on every rail car that had gone by your house for the past 20 years, and I think there is a guy who can do that, too. He can't even dress himself in the morning.
If you're the guy on Jeapordy that's clicking the answer button halfway through the question and racking up 6- 10 grand you're educated. If you're the other two contestants just standing there like a barn on the side of the road with less than 500 you're not.
hahahahahahahah This reminds me of that Golden Girls episode. But in all fairness, that game is based on trivia...not any quantifiable intelligence, just memorized facts, but how I LOVE to see contestants get fleeced sometimes.
hahahahahahahah This reminds me of that Golden Girls episode. But in all fairness, that game is based on trivia...not any quantifiable intelligence, just memorized facts, but how I LOVE to see contestants get fleeced sometimes.
so youre of the opinion that educated= intelligent? interesting
I think one of the fundamental components of being educated would be that one was exposed to material and retained some of the material and not just of one subject but a broad array of material. After all a surgeon would have to have completed a core curriculum comprised of many different classes before he advances and starts cutting open cadavers.
That's why I used the Jeapordy analogy.....several different subjects. Sure it's possible a Star Wars fan is going to get lucky and run the board on all the Star Wars questions but the smart money is on the guy who appears to know a fair amount about several categories on the board.
Now about the Korean Scrabble guy. I would classify him as an aberration who has unique gift, (I believe I saw a documentary about a guy that has the Dictionary or Bible memorized as well), but we can't dismiss him as uneducated either because he can't dress himself for the surgeon who we know is educated quite possibly may not be able to identify where to add oil in his car engine either.
Educated persons can entertain themselves. They use boredom as a start to self-action.
Educated persons are curious and will find out about many different subjects even if they currently know little about them. They seek out new knowledge and examine old ideas as well.
Educated persons can entertain new ideas. They are both interested and skeptical so they can evaluate these new ideas in the context of old ones without bias.
Educated persons are not necessarily those who have degrees though degrees do not preclude being educated.
Educated persons attempt to make a difference in the world though they do not always succeed.
I think there is a dual meaning for the word 'educated.' Some people subscribe more to its traditional meaning and will say things like 'Master's degree and higher' while others will go with the more general definition of 'well rounded, wide range of interests.'
What about behaviors/mannerisms? Does anyone here equate them with education? I say this because since I was small my mom used to refer to crass people or even people whose manners were lacking a bit as 'uneducated.'
Yes. This type of education is traditionally referred to as "breeding" or "home training."
In its broadest sense, education includes not only schooling and degrees, broad knowledge and understanding. But it includes training in the area of living well with others, being sensitive to the needs and feelings of others, behaving inoffensively, being responsible, and having good manners. It is the knowledge of how to behave in society.
This type of education is primarily taught in the home (or should be), and in most boarding and all finishing schools. Lately some of this knowledge is being taught in regular schools because so many students are not receiving it at home, and, thus, create a great deal of interpersonal conflicts because of their deficits in this area.
Last edited by Pivot Point; 06-26-2012 at 10:18 AM..
The terms 'educated' and 'uneducated' are thrown around a lot. I've created this thread to give others a chance to layout their opinion of what defines each. Please do. To start off, I offer a video I found on YouTube whose creators gave a variety of faculty, staff, and students at Augusta State University in Georgia a chance to answer the question "What is an educated person?".
At the very minimum, a person who holds a regionally accredited bachelor's degree or higher. It is possible, however, to be an informally well educated person. Two distinct definitions.
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