Santorum on higher education

Discussion in 'Political Discussions' started by Kizmet, Mar 19, 2012.

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  1. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  2. BobbyJim

    BobbyJim New Member


    “The collective voice of American higher education favors no exposure to other ideas at all.” and....
    “Santorum’s various remarks about higher education evoke these matters rather than explain them. His purpose after all is to connect with a reservoir of popular resentment against the politicization of higher education and it would be beside the point to develop his points as an extended analysis. Those points are, however, part of a cogent critique of American higher education.”

    IMHO illiberal liberals do exist in academia (no big shock there) - so mostly thumbs up.:speechless:
     
  3. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    I've recently subjected myself to some entertaining, though frustrating, liberal talk personalities. In the same show, these liberals both condescend upon autodidacts and praise prostitutes. It's surreal, actually. If you spend time in a library you are an ignorant hack who doesn't deserve to vote, but if you spend time in stranger's van then you are an upstanding citizen who should not be subject to negative judgment :aargh4:

    Santorum's words resonate with me in that in the end, I will have spent thousands on a degree full of nothing that I couldn't have, and in fact did, learn entirely on my own. Isn't there a better way than to have self-motivated people bogged down with what basically amounts to paperwork? At least the Big Three have saved me from doing it the much longer and much more expensive way.

    In other news, did you know that one can become certified in actuarial science without taking coursework in it? Yet at least 150 credit hours, 36 or so specifically in the field, are necessary for becoming an accountant. What, is the CPA exam not good enough? :paranoid:
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 19, 2012
  4. Petedude

    Petedude New Member

    While I connect to some of Santorum's sentiments regarding liberal "indoctrination", I have to say I believe many of his remarks are popularist election-time drivel. I'm sure the man full well knows the value of any college education, but would prefer the unwashed masses vote for him. It's a ploy to swipe the working class vote from Obama, pure and simple.
     
  5. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    Same could be said for a lawyer and doctor!!
     
  6. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    I would tend to agree. Damn elite Obama, suggesting people get a college education, how dare he?

    Abner :smile:
     
  7. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    Doctors need hands-on training. You might be on to something with lawyers however. Frank Abagnale (His life was the basis for the movie Catch Me If You Can) forged a Harvard Degree, but then studied and passed the bar exam on his own :popworm:
     
  8. BobbyJim

    BobbyJim New Member


    Leaving our differences in politics and ‘isms’ out of this discussion for a moment; surely you are not saying that every future worker needs a 'university experience’, are you? I think the discussion is about what types of higher education should be available and promoted, along with removing some of the politicization of higher education.
     
  9. BobbyJim

    BobbyJim New Member

    Uh, yep sorta like that. From the article: “His purpose after all is to connect with a reservoir of popular resentment against the politicization of higher education and it would be beside the point to develop his points as an extended analysis. Those points are, however, part of a cogent critique of American higher education.”
     
  10. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    A mere quick early morning (before work) response/opinion directed towards Petedude! Nothing more nothing less. :smile:

    Do I think every single worker should have a degree, no. Do I think a degree is a good thing to have? Yes. For example, If a pipefitter works his way up to $38.00 hr, but then later is disabled/paralyzed, what is he or she going to fall back on? Is it not better to have a degree than not? I would submit yes.


    Have a good one,


    Abner :smile:
     
  11. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    The question of whether everyone should go to college is an obvious one: of course not. Fortunately, that's not what the President said.

    Senator Santorum revealed himself when he ranted about snobbery and indoctrination. This from a man who has an MBA and a JD, and was a frat brother as an undergraduate.

    Our problem in the U.S. is that we don't have a strong qualifications network that supports the conduct and recognition of technical training on a ladder equivalent to our tertiary higher education system (universities and the degrees they issue). This, combined with diplomaism (see Hapgood, 1971), creates a strain on the worker to head off to college.

    For strong qualifications systems, see the UK, Singapore, and elsewhere.
     
  12. BobbyJim

    BobbyJim New Member

    Maybe in selected circumstances a university degree may be a good thing for such a situation. Some disabilities do not allow moving on to another career, but in my case a university education has not helped my disabled family member one bit; zero, nada, zilch – unless you count semi-literate text messages!
     

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