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Topic: Obama or Romney ? (Read 21126 times)

hero member
Activity: 778
Merit: 1002
November 09, 2012, 02:44:07 PM
Seems to me we should avoid electing someone from either Yale or Harvard...
legendary
Activity: 944
Merit: 1026
November 09, 2012, 01:13:41 PM
...but Truman was also the last president without a degree.

Which indicates that a job which was originally "of the people, for the people" is getting rather elitist, isn't it?

It was even then.  Truman, the only President ever to order the use of a nuclear weapon, was considered by many to be an ignorant haberdasher.   Grin
hero member
Activity: 532
Merit: 500
FIAT LIBERTAS RVAT CAELVM
November 09, 2012, 01:09:41 PM
...but Truman was also the last president without a degree.

Which indicates that a job which was originally "of the people, for the people" is getting rather elitist, isn't it?
legendary
Activity: 944
Merit: 1026
November 09, 2012, 01:06:43 PM
...but Truman was also the last president without a degree.


Dwight D. Eisenhower
  United States Military Academy
 
John F. Kennedy
 London School of Economics (General Course Program)
 Princeton University (transferred to Harvard University)
 Harvard University
 University of Michigan (visitor)
 
Lyndon B. Johnson
 Texas State University-San Marcos
 Georgetown University Law Center (withdrew)
 
Richard Nixon
 Whittier College
 Duke University School of Law
 
Gerald Ford
 University of Michigan
 Yale Law School
 
Jimmy Carter
 Georgia Southwestern College (transferred to the Georgia Institute of Technology)
 Georgia Institute of Technology (transferred to the United States Naval Academy)
 United States Naval Academy
 
Ronald Reagan
 Eureka College
 
George H. W. Bush
 Yale University
 
Bill Clinton
 Georgetown University
 University of Oxford (Rhodes Scholar)
 Yale Law School
 
George W. Bush
 Yale University
 Harvard Business School
 
Barack Obama
 Occidental College (transferred to Columbia University)
 Columbia University
 Harvard Law School
hero member
Activity: 532
Merit: 500
FIAT LIBERTAS RVAT CAELVM
November 09, 2012, 12:58:31 PM
So, if you want to be president, your best bet is to go to Harvard?

Actually, by raw numbers, you're better off with no college, than any specific one:

    George Washington (The death of his father ended Washington's formal schooling; however, he believed strongly in formal education. In his will, he left money and/or stocks to support three educational institutions.)
    Andrew Jackson
    Martin Van Buren
    William Henry Harrison (attended college but never received a degree)
    Zachary Taylor
    Millard Fillmore
    Abraham Lincoln (had only about a year of formal schooling of any kind)
    Andrew Johnson
    Grover Cleveland
    Harry S. Truman (went to business college and law school but did not receive a degree)
hero member
Activity: 518
Merit: 500
November 09, 2012, 12:53:24 PM
People with a desire to be knowledgeable will do better than those that don't. Those with a desire to be skilled will do better than those that don't. It has nothing to do with a formal education.

In an attempt to put this derailed thread back on track, you realize both Obama and Romney have degrees from Harvard.

As did/do:

John Adams
John Quincy Adams
Rutherford B. Hayes
Theodore Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
John F. Kennedy
George W. Bush



So, if you want to be president, your best bet is to go to Harvard?
legendary
Activity: 944
Merit: 1026
November 09, 2012, 12:44:29 PM
People with a desire to be knowledgeable will do better than those that don't. Those with a desire to be skilled will do better than those that don't. It has nothing to do with a formal education.

In an attempt to put this derailed thread back on track, you realize both Obama and Romney have degrees from Harvard.

As did/do:

John Adams
John Quincy Adams
Rutherford B. Hayes
Theodore Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
John F. Kennedy
George W. Bush

hero member
Activity: 742
Merit: 500
Its as easy as 0, 1, 1, 2, 3
November 09, 2012, 12:21:48 PM
...statistically, your peers with college degrees will do better...

Recently went to a college reunion of sorts... Out of 25 or so friends, I was the only one still in the field of my education... and I consider 95% of the college education I got "in my field", to be worthless. This is after less than 10 years.

People with a desire to be knowledgeable will do better than those that don't. Those with a desire to be skilled will do better than those that don't. It has nothing to do with a formal education.
Many jobs require a degree, even if it is not a degree in the same field of work.  For example, all management positions at my local university require at least a 4-year degree.  It could be a degree in underwater basketweaving though.  Ultimately, the best person for the job will be hired, and it may come down to who has the better or more relevant degree, but my point is, having a degree absolutely does matter in today's job market.

All of that said, I do agree that the education itself is largely useless - I think we would be much better served doing apprentice-style schooling.  Work on real-world problems instead of stuff out of textbooks, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxkHM4DUDKM
legendary
Activity: 1400
Merit: 1005
November 09, 2012, 12:04:17 PM
...statistically, your peers with college degrees will do better...

Recently went to a college reunion of sorts... Out of 25 or so friends, I was the only one still in the field of my education... and I consider 95% of the college education I got "in my field", to be worthless. This is after less than 10 years.

People with a desire to be knowledgeable will do better than those that don't. Those with a desire to be skilled will do better than those that don't. It has nothing to do with a formal education.
Many jobs require a degree, even if it is not a degree in the same field of work.  For example, all management positions at my local university require at least a 4-year degree.  It could be a degree in underwater basketweaving though.  Ultimately, the best person for the job will be hired, and it may come down to who has the better or more relevant degree, but my point is, having a degree absolutely does matter in today's job market.

All of that said, I do agree that the education itself is largely useless - I think we would be much better served doing apprentice-style schooling.  Work on real-world problems instead of stuff out of textbooks, etc.
hero member
Activity: 778
Merit: 1002
November 09, 2012, 12:00:36 PM
...statistically, your peers with college degrees will do better...

Recently went to a college reunion of sorts... Out of 25 or so friends, I was the only one still in the field of my education... and I consider 95% of the college education I got "in my field", to be worthless. This is after less than 10 years.

People with a desire to be knowledgeable will do better than those that don't. Those with a desire to be skilled will do better than those that don't. It has nothing to do with a formal education.
legendary
Activity: 944
Merit: 1026
November 09, 2012, 11:15:18 AM
One should think seriously about the direction of one's career before jumping into "I gots ta get me an education"

You are corect and this is always been the case.  An art or history degree is not going to do much for you unless you pursue it to the Ph.D level and teach it.
A medical/science/engineering degree is not going to leave you without a job.

I can't find experienced mechanical and electrical engineers right now without paying top dollar (market forces at work).
legendary
Activity: 2576
Merit: 2267
1RichyTrEwPYjZSeAYxeiFBNnKC9UjC5k
November 09, 2012, 11:01:46 AM
Education is an investment - not all investments are good or pay as well as we would like.  Everyone, colleges included, is selling something (just like the bitcoin world).

I know this forum is full of intelligent people of varying degrees (no pun intended) of education.  No matter how intelligent you are, many career opportunities and advancement levels will be closed to you without a given level of education.  Everyone is free to go their own way and make their own life, but statistically, your peers with college degrees will do better.


However, education is in a bubble right now. The investment capital is becoming not worth the return for many. Not only are you having to pay large sums of money and waste several years worth of earning and on-the-job learning potential but at the end of it all, you have to compete with many others who have the same level of education.

One should think seriously about the direction of one's career before jumping into "I gots ta get me an education"
hero member
Activity: 532
Merit: 500
FIAT LIBERTAS RVAT CAELVM
November 09, 2012, 11:01:23 AM
For most, to be intelligent and uneducated is to not realize your maximum potential.

To be unintelligent and highly educated is a waste. There is a lot of that going around, and at HIGHLY inflated prices.

Education is an investment - not all investments are good or pay as well as we would like.  Everyone, colleges included, is selling something (just like the bitcoin world).

I know this forum is full of intelligent people of varying degrees (no pun intended) of education.  No matter how intelligent you are, many career opportunities and advancement levels will be closed to you without a given level of education.  Everyone is free to go their own way and make their own life, but statistically, your peers with college degrees will do better.

Once again, you're confusing education with schooling. I could learn everything I need to know about how to perform heart surgery from the library. That still wouldn't get me a medical degree.
legendary
Activity: 944
Merit: 1026
November 09, 2012, 10:55:18 AM
For most, to be intelligent and uneducated is to not realize your maximum potential.

To be unintelligent and highly educated is a waste. There is a lot of that going around, and at HIGHLY inflated prices.

Education is an investment - not all investments are good or pay as well as we would like.  Everyone, colleges included, is selling something (just like the bitcoin world).

I know this forum is full of intelligent people of varying degrees (no pun intended) of education.  No matter how intelligent you are, many career opportunities and advancement levels will be closed to you without a given level of education.  Everyone is free to go their own way and make their own life, but statistically, your peers with college degrees will do better.
hero member
Activity: 532
Merit: 500
FIAT LIBERTAS RVAT CAELVM
November 09, 2012, 10:47:09 AM
For most, to be intelligent and uneducated is to not realize your maximum potential.

To be unintelligent and highly educated is a waste. There is a lot of that going around, and at HIGHLY inflated prices.

The excess demand is itself a large part of what's driving up the price.
hero member
Activity: 778
Merit: 1002
November 09, 2012, 10:43:05 AM
For most, to be intelligent and uneducated is to not realize your maximum potential.

To be unintelligent and highly educated is a waste. There is a lot of that going around, and at HIGHLY inflated prices.
legendary
Activity: 2576
Merit: 2267
1RichyTrEwPYjZSeAYxeiFBNnKC9UjC5k
November 09, 2012, 10:25:52 AM
I believe there will be a point where all labor jobs will be completely eliminated. This is why I believe education should be important and those people who worked in labor could study something else and get a higher level job.

Don't confuse education with intelligence. I know a lot of well educated idiots, that would more more useful doing manual labor.

Education should be no more important than it is useful.

To a point.  Gates, Jobs, (the jury is still out on Zuckerberg) are the exceptions, not the rule.  For most, to be intelligent and uneducated is to not realize your maximum potential.

I want my brain surgeon to be both intelligent AND highly educated.   Grin

However, one does not have to receive an education to be educated.
legendary
Activity: 2576
Merit: 2267
1RichyTrEwPYjZSeAYxeiFBNnKC9UjC5k
November 09, 2012, 10:24:56 AM

Owned in the sense that they had drawn lines on a map. Did anyone ask the people who were already there?

Owned in the sense that they had the guns and would exercise violence if anyone declined to agree (at least until other people with guns & violence objected). And I'm sure that the people who were already there were pretty well informed of the change of "ownership".
hero member
Activity: 532
Merit: 500
FIAT LIBERTAS RVAT CAELVM
November 09, 2012, 10:03:07 AM
I believe there will be a point where all labor jobs will be completely eliminated. This is why I believe education should be important and those people who worked in labor could study something else and get a higher level job.

Don't confuse education with intelligence. I know a lot of well educated idiots, that would more more useful doing manual labor.

Education should be no more important than it is useful.

To a point.  Gates, Jobs, (the jury is still out on Zuckerberg) are the exceptions, not the rule.  For most, to be intelligent and uneducated is to not realize your maximum potential.

I want my brain surgeon to be both intelligent AND highly educated.   Grin

Do not confuse "educated" with "schooled."
legendary
Activity: 944
Merit: 1026
November 09, 2012, 09:58:42 AM
I believe there will be a point where all labor jobs will be completely eliminated. This is why I believe education should be important and those people who worked in labor could study something else and get a higher level job.

Don't confuse education with intelligence. I know a lot of well educated idiots, that would more more useful doing manual labor.

Education should be no more important than it is useful.

To a point.  Gates, Jobs, (the jury is still out on Zuckerberg) are the exceptions, not the rule.  For most, to be intelligent and uneducated is to not realize your maximum potential.

I want my brain surgeon to be both intelligent AND highly educated.   Grin
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