Dumbledore Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I believe you can't read. Like a disturbing number of college "graduates" these days. At least, their attention span is literally half a sentence. Link to post Share on other sites
Meaplus3 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 . I value someone with an intellectual curiosity. Very rarely will you find an intellectually curious person who hasn't sought a college education. I completely disagree with that. I happen to know a ton of intellectully curious people who do not have a formal degree under their belt. I'm not trying to put down education becuase I happen to value it myself, I'm just saying that there are still plenty of smart peole out there whom have not stepped foot on a college campus. Mea:) Link to post Share on other sites
Star Gazer Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I think that is more determination. Will Hunting had natural ability to absorb and digest data to make it information. Like another poster mentioned, education sometimes is just regurgitation without thought. I agree with you. However, it was the determination to LEARN, was it not? THAT is the very value that I find so important. Whether one actually succeeds (becomes intelligent or merely regurgitates) is something entirely different. It's the determination to learn, to seek knowledge, that is so important to me. Link to post Share on other sites
Star Gazer Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I'm just saying that there are still plenty of smart people out there whom have not stepped foot on a college campus. Being smart does not necessarily mean one is intellectually curious. I find it difficult to believe that someone who is truly intellectually curious, someone who wants to learn FROM OTHERS about a variety of different subjects, who wants to expand their mind and broaden their perspective, would not want to go to college. Link to post Share on other sites
Meaplus3 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Being smart does not necessarily mean one is intellectually curious. I find it difficult to believe that someone who is truly intellectually curious, someone who wants to learn FROM OTHERS about a variety of different subjects, who wants to expand their mind and broaden their perspective, would not want to go to college. I must have taken your thoughts the wrong way and I'm not curious enough to argue about it. Mea;) Link to post Share on other sites
Star Gazer Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I must have taken your thoughts the wrong way and I'm not curious enough to argue about it. I just want to make it clear that just because someone is college educated does not ipso facto mean they are intelligent, nor am I saying that one cannot be intelligent absent a college education. One can exist without the other. I simply prefer to date someone who has both. Link to post Share on other sites
Dumbledore Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I completely disagree with that. I happen to know a ton of intellectully curious people who do not have a formal degree under their belt. I'm not trying to put down education becuase I happen to value it myself, I'm just saying that there are still plenty of smart peole out there whom have not stepped foot on a college campus. Definitely. And they're often the ones that see things from revolutionary new perspectives. A formal education is often claustrophobic to a creative mind. Link to post Share on other sites
Star Gazer Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 And they're often the ones that see things from revolutionary new perspectives. Wow, impressive. I'm curious - who? Link to post Share on other sites
kashmir Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I've also dated men with a University education that could have been retarded. Yeah, a degree doesn't really say all that much. Any idiot can get into college these days. The "college experience" for most guys and girls is getting wasted 4 nights a week. It's what you do with your education that matters. I just think that some people can pursue a field with passion that's outside of the college bounds. I knew a guy in high school who got straight C's and D's in all of his classes. He wasn't a slacker though, he just was horrible with academics. Where was his strength? Cars. He was an incredibly gifted mechanic. He knew his way around a car better than any of us knew our way through a physics book. I haven't talked to him in a while, but he's working as a mechanic and has a few personal projects he's working on. He's going places, because he has a burning passion and is motivated. Just because it isn't in college doesn't make him any less driven. Link to post Share on other sites
kashmir Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Wow, impressive. I'm curious - who? I can't name any who never had a formal higher education, but I can name many revolutionary scientists who definitely didn't excel at their studies and were average at best. Link to post Share on other sites
Storyrider Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I find it difficult to believe that someone who is truly intellectually curious, someone who wants to learn FROM OTHERS about a variety of different subjects, who wants to expand their mind and broaden their perspective, would not want to go to college. I agree with others that you're assuming too much here. I know smart people who avoided college because they like to learn at their own pace and by their own methods, or they don't like spending hours and hours indoors. One person I'm thinking of reads extensively. He likes to work with his hands though, and determine his own schedule. College just wasn't for him. Link to post Share on other sites
Crestfallen_KH Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I find it difficult to believe that someone who is truly intellectually curious, someone who wants to learn FROM OTHERS about a variety of different subjects, who wants to expand their mind and broaden their perspective, would not want to go to college. I do have to disagree on this one. Abraham Lincoln, for instance, only had about 2 years of formal schooling. Mark Twain dropped out of school at 13, Walt Disney at 16. Thomas Edison only had three MONTHS of formal schooling. What all of these guys had, though, was drive, passion and a desire for knowledge and learning; they just opted to learn via other methods. Link to post Share on other sites
Star Gazer Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I do have to disagree on this one. Abraham Lincoln, for instance, only had about 2 years of formal schooling. Mark Twain dropped out of school at 13, Walt Disney at 16. Thomas Edison only had three MONTHS of formal schooling. What all of these guys had, though, was drive, passion and a desire for knowledge and learning; they just opted to learn via other methods. Fair enough, but I'm still focused on people my age living in this era. Link to post Share on other sites
IrishCarBomb Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Fair enough, but I'm still focused on people my age living in this era. You mean you wouldn't date Mark Twain or Thomas Edison?!? Not even Thomas Jefferson?!? You do have some really high standards. Link to post Share on other sites
Star Gazer Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 You mean you wouldn't date Mark Twain or Thomas Edison?!? Not even Thomas Jefferson?!? You do have some really high standards. None of them are really all that attractive to me. Samuel Clemens was probably the most handsome, but even still, his corpse just doesn't do it for me. Link to post Share on other sites
Isolde Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 One thing that I feel is worth mentioning, is that college has become a much more vocational than a purely intellectual pursuit in the US. The primary reason to go is because one is expected to do so in order to find a career. The focus has shifted from humanities and hard sciences (except maybe for pre-law and pre-meds) and towards career prep, and getting the most prestigious internships. I still value a college education very highly, BUT I'd be wary of idealistically attributing the classical model to today's system in America. Going to community college is NOT pursuing the humanistic dream of enlightenment, it's a practical career step. It's important to differentiate between those two values. Shnuggles, if you know, what is the college system like in Australia? Is it easy to get into like in America or more along the lines of the British system? Link to post Share on other sites
shadowplay Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Yes, because only people who didn't go to college are the only ones who get defensive about this...and in the same vein, in my experience, it is only those who didn't go to college "don't get" why it's so important to those of us that did. Agreed......... Link to post Share on other sites
Dumbledore Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Kids go to college to get drunk every night. Education is an unpleasant side-effect. Link to post Share on other sites
doushenka Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I still value a college education very highly, BUT I'd be wary of idealistically attributing the classical model to today's system in America. Going to community college is NOT pursuing the humanistic dream of enlightenment, it's a practical career step. It's important to differentiate between those two values. *clears throat* Ah, Isolde, I have to disagree with you on the community college thing. Some of the most dedicated faculty I've ever met work at community colleges. Entire academic journals are devoted to the art of teaching at the two-year level. You can, indeed, get a solid background in the subject matter of your choice. Every student is different. For some -- and I was one of them -- community college was a better environment. The material was no less challenging than what I'd encountered in a larger university setting, but the professors had far more time to devote to teaching, as opposed to putting themselves forward in their fields. I had more choices when it came to filling in the required courses on my transcript; we had a wide enough variety of adjuncts for the niche courses, and our regular faculty had their own specialties. If anything, intellectually, I experienced rebirth. Involved as I was in the school's drama program, I worked alongside my professors; they treated me like an adult, nearly an equal, something I'd never experienced in any educational setting before then. I felt, in other words, more like a person than ever before. Your assumptions are erroneous in at least one case. As I was not blind to the goings-on at my school, I must suggest that I am not the exception, even if I am not the rule. Community colleges do have their place, far beyond preparing students for careers -- and there is something faintly classist in that notion, something I'd hoped we as Americans would have put aside by now. The only career step I made was towards becoming an educator myself. Is that enlightened enough for you? Link to post Share on other sites
Isolde Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 *clears throat* Ah, Isolde, I have to disagree with you on the community college thing. Some of the most dedicated faculty I've ever met work at community colleges. Entire academic journals are devoted to the art of teaching at the two-year level. You can, indeed, get a solid background in the subject matter of your choice. Every student is different. For some -- and I was one of them -- community college was a better environment. The material was no less challenging than what I'd encountered in a larger university setting, but the professors had far more time to devote to teaching, as opposed to putting themselves forward in their fields. I had more choices when it came to filling in the required courses on my transcript; we had a wide enough variety of adjuncts for the niche courses, and our regular faculty had their own specialties. If anything, intellectually, I experienced rebirth. Involved as I was in the school's drama program, I worked alongside my professors; they treated me like an adult, nearly an equal, something I'd never experienced in any educational setting before then. I felt, in other words, more like a person than ever before. Your assumptions are erroneous in at least one case. As I was not blind to the goings-on at my school, I must suggest that I am not the exception, even if I am not the rule. Community colleges do have their place, far beyond preparing students for careers -- and there is something faintly classist in that notion, something I'd hoped we as Americans would have put aside by now. The only career step I made was towards becoming an educator myself. Is that enlightened enough for you? Thank you for your insight. I'd never heard of anyone being so happy with their community college experience. I take back part of my argument then. I still think the idealistic learning-for-learnings-sake atmosphere is on the wane overall, even in the Ivies. Link to post Share on other sites
zenith Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 LOL interesting discussion... it sounds like some people here are somewhat bitter towards university educated people... It is true, not all university-educated/graduated people are smarter than those who haven't had tertiary education; however, it comes down to individuals. As a medical graduate, I haven't seen many people from my faculty get wasted every now and then like your typical College guy mentioned here. I'm not saying everyone is like that, but usually people studying humanities and commerce tend to have more relaxed atmosphere (hence they enjoy their university experience) BUT, from my experience, there are significant differences between someone who had university education and someone who hadn't. When I compare my university friends and my high school friends, I can really feel it; conversaton topics are VERY different Link to post Share on other sites
Star Gazer Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Thank you for your insight. I'd never heard of anyone being so happy with their community college experience. I take back part of my argument then. I still think the idealistic learning-for-learnings-sake atmosphere is on the wane overall, even in the Ivies. I agree with doushenka as well. I started at a CC too and transferred to a 4-year, just to save $$ because I knew I'd be wracking up student loans in grad school. The CC I went to is proud to tout that its transfer students perform as well or better as native students at the University of California. I actually greatly preferred my professors and experience at the CC over the 4-year. LOL interesting discussion... it sounds like some people here are somewhat bitter towards university educated people... BUT, from my experience, there are significant differences between someone who had university education and someone who hadn't. When I compare my university friends and my high school friends, I can really feel it; conversaton topics are VERY different I completely agree. Link to post Share on other sites
Isolde Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 BTW, I never said that community colleges were lame, they have a VERY important role and are the reason college is more attainable in the US. I merely speculated that many of them are vocationally oriented, which IS true, although many comm college students DO take great classes there and/or transfer to great schools and care very much about intellectual growth. Link to post Share on other sites
eclipseIDE Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 next time you go to the doctor you should see one who has only a high school diploma Actually a lot of doctors have a real problem thinking outside the box or they dont really care about whats best for their patients. Example, I discovered that watermelon is a natural form of a male enhancer. I see more people are posting about it online now. Well a so called ED specialist is discounting this without even researching it. Why because he supports medical companies who sell ED drugs off course Link to post Share on other sites
Trialbyfire Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 All I'm going to say is thank goodness doctors and surgeons have the education and experience to diagnose and operate on my father. He could have died of lung cancer. With this in mind, education is key. No one could be or should be a surgeon without it. Today, my admiration and respect level for education has just been cranked up about a million fold. I'm glad education is part of my dating criteria. As it stands, my guy is both well-educated AND intelligent, interested and knowledgeable about what's happening in the world around him. Link to post Share on other sites
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