Is too many degrees a bad thing?

Goodness! Every time I say something, I end up veering this conversation in another completely unrelated direction.

That comment was actually intended to bring the focus back to the original question.

Isn't it ironic... don't ya think?

 

Perhaps I should just let this one go: Nevertheless, you insinuate by your reply to my initial posting that Obama’s erroneous statement wasn’t a slight slip of the tongue and should be concluded that Obama doesn’t recognize there are only 50 states; but Bush’s flawed grammatical speaking was, as you seemingly inversely advance … the slip of the tongue point of comparison you had refer to (?). Regardless, there’s an old adage by attorneys, e.g. “… it’s not what you know, but what you can prove.”

 

It's not like we have nothing else to go on with Bush and Obama. They're not generics like a gender or ethnic identifier. Bush's error isn't unusual. He's probably had more of these bloopers than any president in the TV age. Most of us can recall the notable characteristics of the presidents during our lifetimes well enough to attribute a statement to one or the other.

 

LOL! I agree, I got to borrow that one.

 

Back to the original question: Are too many degrees a bad thing?

 

I'd say probably so. Very few people can get multiple degrees without giving up something more important like family, career or money. At some point we're supposed to get to work at something. Even professional scholars have to stop being the student and become the teacher and researcher.

 

That's assuming these are full-time degree programs while not employed. If someone is employed and has a career but chooses to take a class or two each semester towards a degree for fun as a hobby, there is nothing wrong with that. Earning multiple degrees and getting more education is far better than what many people choose to do with their free time.

 

I agree. The post before you spoke about sacrifices. Really, each individual has to decide what is important. Life is a trade of of those things. Maybe for some, there reaches a point where the continuation of formal education isn't worth it. Maybe for others, it is something of such value that it is a staple of one's life for many years, or, something that never ceases.

I am interested in learning much more than college ever could teach me. I am learning two languages and plan on learning at least 3 more in my life. I want to study history, culture, literature and natural sciences. However I don't care for a degree in any of this. Some people do, however, and who is to ever say that they are wrong for it?

 

I agree that it's better than a lot of things. Still, I think if it's a sideline and you keep up with other important things you won't have time to earn too many degrees. At some point, though, it seems vain to simply gather credentials. There is something useful you can do with any degree, even those that won't get you a job. Moreover, if you're always a student you can never master anything. The completion of the degree is supposed to be just the beginning. A person who goes from one degree to the next is stuck in the student phase of life, which might inhibit his/her growth. You can always keep learning by reading books, going to lectures, touring and so forth. My guess is that a perpetual student never reaches his/her potential in life. They're just drifting.

 

Yeah, agreed.

Personally I think that there's a conventional way to go from the student phase to the practitioner phase. It's the go to college, get out, work, have a family. work, retire thing.

There's also the try school, fail, work, take classes aimlessly, wake up, finish a degree, work, have a family.. take some more classes, get another degree, work, drink martinis and carouse, take a class, get divorced, live in a U-Haul truck.. finish another degree, work.. discover the alchemical secret to turning whiskey, beer and wine into urine.. work, take a class.

The point is, at some point you either become actualized through education and stop or you become actualized through your work and stop with the education cause there's not enough time in the day to do everything. Different strokes for different folks..

ITJD

 

Eh, I personally know of two level 80 characters that got sold for 350 each on EBay. That'd buy at least two PhD mill documents.

 

This implies that school equals sacrificing work, which is belied by about 40 years of increasing activity in the opposite direction.

The poster's opinion that "family, career, or money" are more important is just that: one person's value judgment. But it also presents a false dilemma, that these must somehow be sacrificed or diminished due to the pursuit of higher degrees. Is it not possible to balance all of the important things in one's life?

Finally, the poster suggests a necessary transition from student to teacher/researcher. I would suggest this is not necessarily so.

 

There is also the go to school, drop out, work at a dot.com, retire, raise a family, pursue whatever you want including whatever degree programs interest you while giving back to the community through volunteerism.

In that case, I don't think it's possible to become over educated and have too many degrees. Some people need the formal degree structure to keep learning or they'll end up lazy and playing video games all day.

 

I find it difficult to take a couple of graduate courses, work and give my family enough attention. I've done it throughout my education (always a student with a job and family). Something usually has to give. It's not a balanced lifestyle. It can go on for awhile without much damage, but it's a lot to ask of everyone on a permanant basis. Education is important, and everyone should keep learning throughout life. But, if all you do is go from degree to degree at the same level you're probably not growing. Even if you live alone and are wealthy I can't see how you can fulfill your potential as a perpetual student. You are forever living by others' syllabi and reading the books and writing the papers they assign. Shouldn't there be a final goal and point to your education beyond starting another degree? You can still learn, but on your terms, and you can redirect intellectual and talents to something more important than another school assignment.

 

Agreed...education can fit into a busy life. It is a balancing act and achieving an educational goal is worthwhile. My point is that at some point it's important to transition from student to teacher, practitioner, researcher, philosopher, manager, leader or something that takes advantage of the degree. Even if you're gifted the energy you spend as a student has to take away from something else. Education is worthwhile for a specific goal, but always going for another degree seems unhealthy.

 

This cuts to the heart of the thread: perceptions about those who make education (and degrees) a lifelong pursuit.

I would suggest that one can be both teacher and student simultaneously. In fact, that is the crux of andragogy.

 

I alluded to this in an earlier post about a faculty member wanting to re-direct her career by taking a second Ph.D., but now I want to ask the question explicitly:

What if someone wanted to pursue, say, a research topic in a new area, and the university and degree program provided the necessary support and framework. Wouldn't that be a good reason to go back and get another degree?

 

Sure, that is a great opportunity, especially for a professional scholar. I don't think there's a fixed formula of what's best for everyone. My point is that there can be too much somewhere along the way, especially if you are not maturing or developing to reach a goal you've already achieved.

 

The even bigger question: how many degrees are too many?

 

I'll give you a hint: the answer ISN'T 22 masters 5 Ph.Ds and 3 D.Lits.

http://sify.com/news/22-MA-degrees-5-PhDs-3-D-Lits-professor-learns-on-news-National-jm1mudaefid.html

As for me, I never made it without biting it. Ask Mr. Owl.