Penn and Teller on the value of a college education

[JimBowie1958]

Hillarious but poignant as well.

 

[Old Rocks]

What a totally dumbass video. I am just finished three quarters at Portland State University. Of course, I was taking bullshit courses like Chemistry and Calculus. And the young people in class with me were nothing like portrayed here. Many of them were, like me, working and only going to college part time, half to three quarters load. And all seemed very serious about learning the subjects.

Right now, my company is having real problems recruiting material and mechanical engineers worldwide. The pay is good, the benefits, in all nations, above standard, but there are not enough applicants to fill the jobs. Here in the states, the same with craftsmen. Don't know about the worldwide situation there.

Higher education, in the appropriate field, whether at the technical level, or university level, is still the way for a more rewarding life and career.

 

[Mad Scientist]

Higher education, in the appropriate field, whether at the technical level, or university level, is still the way for a more rewarding life and career.

I agree. Too bad America has shipped most of it's good paying jobs overseas.

 

[rightwinger]

What a totally dumbass video. I am just finished three quarters at Portland State University. Of course, I was taking bullshit courses like Chemistry and Calculus. And the young people in class with me were nothing like portrayed here. Many of them were, like me, working and only going to college part time, half to three quarters load. And all seemed very serious about learning the subjects.

Right now, my company is having real problems recruiting material and mechanical engineers worldwide. The pay is good, the benefits, in all nations, above standard, but there are not enough applicants to fill the jobs. Here in the states, the same with craftsmen. Don't know about the worldwide situation there.

Higher education, in the appropriate field, whether at the technical level, or university level, is still the way for a more rewarding life and career.

Its the typical rightwing disdain for higher education

They think everyone majors in 18th century French Literature

 

[JimBowie1958]

What a totally dumbass video. I am just finished three quarters at Portland State University. Of course, I was taking bullshit courses like Chemistry and Calculus. And the young people in class with me were nothing like portrayed here. Many of them were, like me, working and only going to college part time, half to three quarters load. And all seemed very serious about learning the subjects.

Right now, my company is having real problems recruiting material and mechanical engineers worldwide. The pay is good, the benefits, in all nations, above standard, but there are not enough applicants to fill the jobs. Here in the states, the same with craftsmen. Don't know about the worldwide situation there.

Higher education, in the appropriate field, whether at the technical level, or university level, is still the way for a more rewarding life and career.

The things about todays colleges and universities that Penn and Teller were slamming them for is WHY you don't see many applicants. Most colleges compete for students these days by letting them do pretty much whatever they want and that typically party at every opportunity. People shy away from technical degrees that require a lot of math because 1) the public educational system teaches math poorly these days, and 2) it is not cool to be a good student, especially one who knows math and science.

The top 20% of students today can go to college and do well, but they are not as good as the top 20% when I was in college, and I don't know why that is. The general male population here in the US seems to be one of the least ambitious I have ever seen.
All this is merely my impression from taking college course from 1976 through 1995 at UT Arlington, Harding, Maryland U, and several community colleges. I am not citing any studies, or what not.

But the emphasis is not only learning as much as it used to be, status among students does not reward excellence as a student but for bums, sluts and drunkards, and the concept of a liberal arts education seems completely abandoned. I cannot tell you how many engineers I have run into that have no concept of what the Magna Charta is, why T Jefferson I so important to modern democracy, and why governments are able to remain in power.

Most of them are well educated dullards. It has traditionally been the role of colleges to do these things and to spark a love of learning in student, but that is histwah as well. Most of them only want to slug through to get an item on their resume that will get them a higher paying career, and so they herd into management degrees and the sciences and engineering courses are neglected. We used to make up for a lack of local talent by hiring from overseas, but we have done that for several decades now and our former hirelings have gone back home to start their own businesses and now they get the top talent from their own countries and far fewer go to the US.

Our colleges and Universities should not be glorified tech schools where you party hard in your spare time. They should be institutions dedicated to sparking interest in learning for its own value, and it should provide a basis for the student to be able to critically analyze problems and derive solutions. A few colleges still play this role, but they are increasingly rare. Radford in VA does this well still, but ironically enough, they are also known as the second worst party school in the state, lol.

 

[editec]

There are basically two excellent reasons to get an education or to educate yourself

1. To be a better person/citizen/human

2 To be a better tool/worker/DOer.

If you can manage to do both at once?

YEAH for you.

I'm not sure one needs to go to college for either of the above but I think in most cases college helps.

 

[bripat9643]

There are basically two excellent reasons to get an education or to educate yourself

1. To be a better person/citizen/human

2 To be a better tool/worker/DOer.

If you can manage to do both at once?

YEAH for you.

I'm not sure one needs to go to college for either of the above but I think in most cases college helps.

Your theory that college produces better people/citizens/humans is laughable. Judging by the current gang in the White House, there certainly isn't evidence of this.

 

[westwall]

What a totally dumbass video. I am just finished three quarters at Portland State University. Of course, I was taking bullshit courses like Chemistry and Calculus. And the young people in class with me were nothing like portrayed here. Many of them were, like me, working and only going to college part time, half to three quarters load. And all seemed very serious about learning the subjects.

Right now, my company is having real problems recruiting material and mechanical engineers worldwide. The pay is good, the benefits, in all nations, above standard, but there are not enough applicants to fill the jobs. Here in the states, the same with craftsmen. Don't know about the worldwide situation there.

Higher education, in the appropriate field, whether at the technical level, or university level, is still the way for a more rewarding life and career.

"I am just finished three quarters at Portland State University"- If that is the way you speak, after three quarters at your college you really should stop. Butchering the English language doesn't aid your declarations....

 

[rightwinger]

There are basically two excellent reasons to get an education or to educate yourself

1. To be a better person/citizen/human

2 To be a better tool/worker/DOer.

If you can manage to do both at once?

YEAH for you.

I'm not sure one needs to go to college for either of the above but I think in most cases college helps.

Your theory that college produces better people/citizens/humans is laughable. Judging by the current gang in the White House, there certainly isn't evidence of this.

Nice try fingerboy

More evidence of GOP disdain for higher education. Reminds me of the Bolsheviks

 

[westwall]

What I found more interesting is the shenanigans at St. Cloud where the diversity prof is one of the most racist dudes I've ever seen. The systemic PC silliness is very interesting.

You folks clearly havn't watched the video and just are flapping your gums with no knowledge of what you speak.

Typical leftist response to anything that threatens your paradigm.

 

[kwc57]

What a totally dumbass video. I am just finished three quarters at Portland State University. Of course, I was taking bullshit courses like Chemistry and Calculus. And the young people in class with me were nothing like portrayed here. Many of them were, like me, working and only going to college part time, half to three quarters load. And all seemed very serious about learning the subjects.

Right now, my company is having real problems recruiting material and mechanical engineers worldwide. The pay is good, the benefits, in all nations, above standard, but there are not enough applicants to fill the jobs. Here in the states, the same with craftsmen. Don't know about the worldwide situation there.

Higher education, in the appropriate field, whether at the technical level, or university level, is still the way for a more rewarding life and career.

Its the typical rightwing disdain for higher education

They think everyone majors in 18th century French Literature

Must you always be a tool? Conservatives don't hate education, they value it. There are in fact, far too many kids majoring in things like 18th century french literature. My 30 year old neice is STILL in school working on her PhD in medieval literature. 30 years old and she grades papers for the professors and fills in classes shen the professor is out. Her prospect for a real job in the future is some old white haired professor dying or teaching english in a high school or college.

My 20 year old (conservative like his old man) son is studying fire protection and safety technology in the engineering college at his university. He is spending the summer in an internship with BP on the north slope in Alaska. With overtime hours, he is averaging $30 per hour. His university is only one of two in the US with an accredited program for this field and only has about 200 students total in it. The vast majority of them spend their summers following their sophomore year in internships and have high paying jobs waiting for them when they graduate.

The difference? One is in a field where there is a real need and the other is pursuing what would better be described as a hobby. I'm not saying that colleges shouldn't provide a wide field of majors, but there is only so much call for history and english majors out in the work world.

 

[JimBowie1958]

There are basically two excellent reasons to get an education or to educate yourself

1. To be a better person/citizen/human

2 To be a better tool/worker/DOer.

If you can manage to do both at once?

YEAH for you.

I'm not sure one needs to go to college for either of the above but I think in most cases college helps.

BOTH are important and Universities and colleges need to do both.

Otherwise, just have trade/tech schools for most people and be done with it.

A liberal arts education teaches people how to think critically and that is a vital function in any democratic system of government.

 

[JimBowie1958]

There are basically two excellent reasons to get an education or to educate yourself

1. To be a better person/citizen/human

2 To be a better tool/worker/DOer.

If you can manage to do both at once?

YEAH for you.

I'm not sure one needs to go to college for either of the above but I think in most cases college helps.

Your theory that college produces better people/citizens/humans is laughable. Judging by the current gang in the White House, there certainly isn't evidence of this.

Nice try fingerboy

More evidence of GOP disdain for higher education. Reminds me of the Bolsheviks

Not surprising since you are an idiot. Hell, the GOP might remind you of a cherry soda, or football might remind you of some horrible experience you had in PE.

Why don't you go troll somewhere else?

 

[JimBowie1958]

What a totally dumbass video. I am just finished three quarters at Portland State University. Of course, I was taking bullshit courses like Chemistry and Calculus. And the young people in class with me were nothing like portrayed here. Many of them were, like me, working and only going to college part time, half to three quarters load. And all seemed very serious about learning the subjects.

Right now, my company is having real problems recruiting material and mechanical engineers worldwide. The pay is good, the benefits, in all nations, above standard, but there are not enough applicants to fill the jobs. Here in the states, the same with craftsmen. Don't know about the worldwide situation there.

Higher education, in the appropriate field, whether at the technical level, or university level, is still the way for a more rewarding life and career.

Its the typical rightwing disdain for higher education

They think everyone majors in 18th century French Literature

Must you always be a tool? Conservatives don't hate education, they value it. There are in fact, far too many kids majoring in things like 18th century french literature. My 30 year old neice is STILL in school working on her PhD in medieval literature. 30 years old and she grades papers for the professors and fills in classes shen the professor is out. Her prospect for a real job in the future is some old white haired professor dying or teaching english in a high school or college.

My 20 year old (conservative like his old man) son is studying fire protection and safety technology in the engineering college at his university. He is spending the summer in an internship with BP on the north slope in Alaska. With overtime hours, he is averaging $30 per hour. His university is only one of two in the US with an accredited program for this field and only has about 200 students total in it. The vast majority of them spend their summers following their sophomore year in internships and have high paying jobs waiting for them when they graduate.

The difference? One is in a field where there is a real need and the other is pursuing what would better be described as a hobby. I'm not saying that colleges shouldn't provide a wide field of majors, but there is only so much call for history and english majors out in the work world.

Soros is hiring English and history majors for his Astro-turfing Corps.

 

[JoeNormal]

There are basically two excellent reasons to get an education or to educate yourself

1. To be a better person/citizen/human

2 To be a better tool/worker/DOer.

If you can manage to do both at once?

YEAH for you.

I'm not sure one needs to go to college for either of the above but I think in most cases college helps.

Your theory that college produces better people/citizens/humans is laughable. Judging by the current gang in the White House, there certainly isn't evidence of this.

Wow BriPat, in the space of one sentence, I feel like I suddenly know you. You apparently have no formal education yet you've made a life for yourself by 'playing the game'. So you probably have no qualms about ratting on your coworkers or even firing a legion of them if your 'superiors' tell you to do it.

I must be slipping. At my peak, I'd have gleaned that from you endearing avatar - a little fucker flipping someone off. Aww, how cute!

 

[OnePercenter]

There are basically two excellent reasons to get an education or to educate yourself

1. To be a better person/citizen/human

2 To be a better tool/worker/DOer.

If you can manage to do both at once?

YEAH for you.

I'm not sure one needs to go to college for either of the above but I think in most cases college helps.

Your theory that college produces better people/citizens/humans is laughable. Judging by the current gang in the White House, there certainly isn't evidence of this.

So what "collage" did you graduate?

 

[rdean]

There are 3 million jobs that go vacant each month in this country

Only the very stupid could point to a TV entertainer who has never been to college and does a stupid show about what he imagines college to be and then says, "See?"

And the whole "self taught" idea, really? Yea, go to a doctor that is "self taught". See how that works out. How many engineers at Ford or General Motors didn't go to college?

Then you have one of the most ignorant people in the world and Republicans wanted to elect him president because he shares their "values".



Now this is hilarious to me. Pew Research said only a measly 6% of scientists are Republican and right wingers on the USMB go berserk screaming that the majority of scientists must be Republican and then go on endlessly about how closed minded scientists are and what a bunch of losers they are and they are on the government dole.

You have youngsters from China and India and Mexico dying to get into our colleges. Mitt ran on a platform of bringing immigrants here with degrees. Clearly, the GOP base is simply too stupid to learn. If that crappy right winger Christian music is any indication, then the only college that's a "good fit" is "Bible College". Leave the other colleges to us "liberals".

 

[rdean]

There are basically two excellent reasons to get an education or to educate yourself

1. To be a better person/citizen/human

2 To be a better tool/worker/DOer.

If you can manage to do both at once?

YEAH for you.

I'm not sure one needs to go to college for either of the above but I think in most cases college helps.

Your theory that college produces better people/citizens/humans is laughable. Judging by the current gang in the White House, there certainly isn't evidence of this.

"Gang"? Code for "black"?

 

[OnePercenter]

What a totally dumbass video. I am just finished three quarters at Portland State University. Of course, I was taking bullshit courses like Chemistry and Calculus. And the young people in class with me were nothing like portrayed here. Many of them were, like me, working and only going to college part time, half to three quarters load. And all seemed very serious about learning the subjects.

Right now, my company is having real problems recruiting material and mechanical engineers worldwide. The pay is good, the benefits, in all nations, above standard, but there are not enough applicants to fill the jobs. Here in the states, the same with craftsmen. Don't know about the worldwide situation there.

Higher education, in the appropriate field, whether at the technical level, or university level, is still the way for a more rewarding life and career.

Its the typical rightwing disdain for higher education

They think everyone majors in 18th century French Literature

Must you always be a tool? Conservatives don't hate education, they value it. There are in fact, far too many kids majoring in things like 18th century french literature. My 30 year old neice is STILL in school working on her PhD in medieval literature. 30 years old and she grades papers for the professors and fills in classes shen the professor is out. Her prospect for a real job in the future is some old white haired professor dying or teaching english in a high school or college.

My 20 year old (conservative like his old man) son is studying fire protection and safety technology in the engineering college at his university. He is spending the summer in an internship with BP on the north slope in Alaska. With overtime hours, he is averaging $30 per hour. His university is only one of two in the US with an accredited program for this field and only has about 200 students total in it. The vast majority of them spend their summers following their sophomore year in internships and have high paying jobs waiting for them when they graduate.

The difference? One is in a field where there is a real need and the other is pursuing what would better be described as a hobby. I'm not saying that colleges shouldn't provide a wide field of majors, but there is only so much call for history and english majors out in the work world.

So following ones passion is a bad thing?

 

[rdean]

Higher education, in the appropriate field, whether at the technical level, or university level, is still the way for a more rewarding life and career.

I agree. Too bad America has shipped most of it's good paying jobs overseas.

Actually, the truth is, most of the jobs shipped overseas were "unskilled labor" working on assembly lines. There are millions of jobs available in this country which go unfilled because of a lack of workers with an education, which I've linked to many times.