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A 4-year college will expose a person to things that they didn't even know existed before, while "self-education" would likely be more limited to learning more about things you already know, or know about. College isn't there just to reinforce your beliefs, but often challenge them. And then there is a matter of motivation, slogging through something that's uninteresting is no fun, but often necessary to understand certain topics. Required readings can get people past an initial lack of interest/motivation, often being necessary to fully introduce and comprehend all aspects of topics and issues. There are a lot of self-taught "experts" that really don't know what they are talking about because their "research" is limited by their selection bias, and by a lack of discourse with others who have different levels of knowledge and understanding.
I have a family member that is a voracious reader, but with no college education. I jokingly call him "the worlds greatest expert" as he "knows" about pretty much everything and loves to tell me how things "really are" or how they "really work" and how school educated experts "aren't that smart." While he knows a little about a lot of things, and I listen to him sometimes, when he went off telling me how the space program "really works" (I have 30+ years of aerospace and government/international experience) I finally had to cut him off and tell him he absolutely doesn't know what he's talking about (not that it stopped him). I figured as a reader he might be interested in knowing more about my perspective, so I gave him a bunch of reading material that I thought was helpful and interesting and entertaining - and this guy who literally reads almost everything gave them back to me unread weeks later saying he wasn't interested in them. As I said, selection bias and lack of discourse throws a wrench in the works when it comes to self-education.
I'm sorry but I have never come across anyone with a University degree who sounded more intelligent than someone who never attended other than having more knowledge of the subject they studied in college. There are plenty of naive students especially those fresh out of college who spout a load of rubbish about the world. I actually find many people in society today look at students as being completely detached from the real world. A lack of understanding of how things work in the world and how to talk to more mature adults. A young self employed businessman would have FAR greater social skills with a wider demographic of people than a sheltered Uni student fresh out of college only used to engaging largely with those of their own age group
So while I agree University for is great to enhance one's knowledge of certain subjects it is merely one way. I would see it more as a good one way for one to enhance their understanding in life of Philosophy, Theology, literature etc
I work with an American and he mentioned about how people in the states look down on you for not going to college in the US because they assume you are on the lower socio economic table. In Australia this is completely backward. People in certain professions regarding the resource industry and trades will earn more than most college graduates other than the highest earners. For us that makes sense because these people are putting their physical wellbeing on the line aswell and fewer people want to do it.
IT for example is a very competitive industry in Australia and not massively high paying. A driller in the mines however is a job one can walk into and get straight into training. Where after a few years they could be earning $250,000 a year. Anyway I just find it amusing that's all as it's such a cultural difference, how Americans view University and it's social status there. Where it's seen as so essential to succeed in life compared to here in Australia and even the UK/Ireland.
IT for example is a very competitive industry in Australia and not massively high paying. A driller in the mines however is a job one can walk into and get straight into training. Where after a few years they could be earning $250,000 a year. Anyway I just find it amusing that's all as it's such a cultural difference, how Americans view University and it's social status there. Where it's seen as so essential to succeed in life compared to here in Australia and even the UK/Ireland.
If it is the case that manual labor jobs are very lucrative and pay highly in Australia, then you would expect to see immigrants flocking to Australia to work in these jobs.
However, I have not heard of this happening. I have known several people over the years who moved to Australia and all of them went for a university degree or to work in jobs that required such a degree.
If it is the case that manual labor jobs are very lucrative and pay highly in Australia, then you would expect to see immigrants flocking to Australia to work in these jobs.
However, I have not heard of this happening. I have known several people over the years who moved to Australia and all of them went for a university degree or to work in jobs that required such a degree.
Lol immigrants do flock to Australia. Australia has one of the highest number of migrants per capita in the world. About 25% of people living here were born overseas including myself. Have a look at this Drilling job which pays up to $250,000 https://www.seek.com.au/job/68186620...fc7d5fca52b0e5
Also because many manual jobs are also skilled such as a trade and in the resource sector many people don't want to do it. They would rather do cleaner professions that pay less that manual work which is understandable. As I said one could work in an office environment here and earn much less than a tradie. You see in Australia they don't rely on cheap migrants like the US. All migrants who come here need to have a skill and be sponsored, it keeps the pay high by preventing the Market being flooded with cheap migrants. The downside is that because there is such a labor shortage it now takes around 2 years to build a house here.
It's much easier to work in an office environment than work outside especially in the summer. Unfortunately these office environments are much more competitive so the money is average compared to trades and resource industry where there are significant shortages. One needs to be in a very high profession to keep up with these more manual industries in terms of pay
Plenty of Irish and Brits aswell as other nationalities do come here, go up north to the mines. Work for a few years, then go home and buy a house.... if they are smart to hold onto what they save. I suppose in the US it seems other industries aren't respected as much but that might be because it's a nation that has access to an almost unlimited supply of cheap labor. There is no cheap labor in Australia really
These comments apply to the US..... If you equate college with earning a living- no, it's not essential. You will be viewed, in most places, as working class. If you get rich, you're nouveau riche and tend to act it.
Advanced degrees in the US traditionally skewed toward the upper classes, especially those who became highly literate and broadly educated.
It's relatively recent in the US that college was expected of the middle and lower middle classes- the push for "the great society"- i.e. a classless society. Although this worked to some extent since the 50s and 60s, we are now seeing a reversal of this process and, unfortunately, it's feeding extremist devisions in politics as well. Doesn't bode well for the country.
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