Education is no longer a direct gateway to a good life, amirite?

What do you mean by talent? Education has never been enough on its own to provide a good life. The ability to actually apply what you've learned to the real world is critical, as well as soft skills like being able to network and communicate effectively. Always have been, always will be.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I'm assuming they mean "skills" like trades?

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Have you ever actually been around someone with a PhD?

by Street-Result-5081 2 days ago

And now is the time for me to apply my psychology degree in the real world: You're enough.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Twenty bucks says the real story is that you're bitter about some bookish people in your life, and hoping they fail as a result.

by Cassidyhudson 2 days ago

Well that's why it's an unpopular opinion

by Preichel 2 days ago

Sometimes it's unpopular just because it sucks.

by Cassidyhudson 2 days ago

There's a perception that the educated look down on the uneducated. I've found it to happen much more often the other way around.

by Key_Operation 2 days ago

Sounds like a stereotype used to help you compensate for feelings of inadequacy because of your lack of education. Nothing like a b-movie trope to make you feel better about yourself.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Again,, it's an unpopular opinion

by Preichel 2 days ago

It's feckless whining and insecurity.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Exactly,, let's not only base success on academic excellence,but also on skills,,i.e carpentry, plumbing, and also talents i.e football,soccer,

by Preichel 2 days ago

You realise trade school is a thing right? But only so many people have the talent and dedication necessary to compete in sport at the highest level? More importantly at least here in Australia many university degrees include practical components. What you said isn't some great revelation academics alone have never been enough and there are shortages of jobs in Manfields, but that's made abundantly clear more often than not when you start studying. I know when I was in law, for example it was made very clear earlier on that while there might be 700 or more more graduates in a given year those graduates would be buying for 30 jobs at most unless they were willing to move interstate for regional..

by Anonymous 2 days ago

There's literally gym and guess what, if they are good at sports they can play a sport for a high school or college team!

by Street-Result-5081 2 days ago

Well we have automated away most of labor intense work and whats left is competed over by 8 billion people

by Anonymous 2 days ago

The number of educated people outweighs the jobs available

by Preichel 2 days ago

No, its simply that the bar got raised The amount of education decades ago that would be sufficient for a good life is no longer sufficient today. There is an education inflation, so one just need to have a higher level of education to achieve the good life. And no, a degree in theology will be unlikely to result in a good life if your criteria of a good life is a good income. However, that hasnt changed from the past. As we've seen talent pays more than white collar jobs. Not on average it isnt when you consider the huge risk as failure to become a sports star or celebrity (most people fail) results in being the Starbuck barista I order my coffee from each morning.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

People in 1955: "You have HS? No Sir. Well doesnt matter. Here a job where you can buy a house and support a family" People in 2025: "You have HS and a humanities Bachelor and Economics Master? Sorry. Should have studied something in demand. Now go die". You are absolutely right OP. Only Boomers and fools will deny that this is true.

by Candace85 2 days ago

Exactly 💯

by Preichel 2 days ago

💯

by Preichel 2 days ago

Entirely depends on what you mean by "talent" as that's too vague of a term.

by Hipolitocrist 2 days ago

Do you mean include work experience as part of the course? Not just pottering around for a week, but actually going there to do a project of some sort relating the course? Do you realise that a Phd (particularly in stem and research), is effectively just working and carrying out research for a pittance, a piece of paper and a title? It has always been the case that intelligence is not a good predictor of success alone. If intelligence is all you have, you may not get as far as someone with great social and leadership skills, with just average intelligence. This person gets smart people to to the thinking for them and profits from that. As you climb the ladder, there are more expectations for you to be able to interact with people in a certain way. The purely intelligent person would not do this well and would probably hate the job too.

by Dry_Service7046 2 days ago

I get the sentiment, that this way we would get more carpenters and plumbers, but at the same time I am worried that it would boost the flat-earther ranks as well.

by Spare-Current 2 days ago

It never was.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

A phd doesn't mean anything if it's in an obscure area that has no real world application. Most college degrees are scams.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

You are describing how the education system already works. Wanna do a trade? Then skip the last two years of compulsory education and start your apprenticeship. Unsure what you wanna do but know it's not uni based? Do workplace learning a couple days a week and basic classes at school. Good at sports? Apply for a placement at a high school that has an academy in the sport you are good in.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Education does not guarantee you a job and never has. But statistically speaking a college education or higher increases your chances by a huge amount.

by marchermiston 2 days ago