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mbperrin

(7,672 posts)
7. Colleges are not efficient? At what?
Sun Sep 23, 2012, 02:26 AM
Sep 2012

To my knowledge, no long-term longitudinal study has ever been performed to see if people are happy as they grow older.

If the purpose of education is not to produce happier people, I wouldn't know what it might be. So let's do a study and discuss it in 40 years.

Productivity is just code for doing more work for the same money, anyway.

Some things are not subject to "productivity." For instance, the damned Moon is still the same distance from the earth that it has been for millions of years. The highly inefficient thing has never gotten a bit closer or farther away (whichever would be defined as productive), and it just does what it always has. On that basis, we need to destroy it and replace it with something more productive.

There's more work to do than can ever be done, period. Problem is, not all work is monetized, so by definition, it is worthless. We need a new paradigm of value. Careful with that cleaning toilets not being worth anything business. I must remind you that a surgeon's highly paid work will come to nothing if there are bacteria left in the operating room that cause a fatal infection in the patient.

And then there are those who are paid lots, but are really cancer on society - bankers, stockbrokers, and other casino operators, for example. Our current pay scale does not reflect value, and we have no current way to measure it.

This line stands out for me: LWolf Sep 2012 #1
I think one of the reasons is that within living memory americans (my grandparents and parents' HiPointDem Sep 2012 #2
"Magic merit dust" -- there's a memorable phrase. :^) eppur_se_muova Sep 2012 #3
"But our mythology has never caught up with the facts." Starry Messenger Sep 2012 #4
Don't be so quick to denounce it as a myth. Igel Sep 2012 #6
Colleges are not efficient? At what? mbperrin Sep 2012 #7
"if you can compete, you can move up". everyone can compete. most people lose. HiPointDem Sep 2012 #8
Do you mean your assertion to apply to professional athletes? If not how do you define exceptions?nt jody Sep 2012 #13
OR upward mobility is more restricted to STEM fields and some entertainment fields. nt jody Sep 2012 #14
If most jobs are of the burger-flipping variety, that means most people will not be 'competitive,' HiPointDem Dec 2012 #20
Didn't the Head Start Program have any effect on reducing poverty? jody Sep 2012 #5
head start has no effect on the poverty rate. it's an educational enrichment program intended HiPointDem Sep 2012 #9
OK Head Start has only minor effects on children. Its purpose is jody Sep 2012 #10
it has been successful. it's the most successful educational intervention ever. HiPointDem Sep 2012 #11
You assert Head Start is the "most successful educational intervention ever" but on what factor? jody Sep 2012 #12
Head start has been around for nearly 50 years and has been studied intensively over that time. HiPointDem Sep 2012 #15
I understand, your mind is made up so reject facts even the "Head Start Impact Study". I want to jody Sep 2012 #16
Children remain mired in poverty because wealth is becoming more concentrated. The one follows HiPointDem Sep 2012 #17
Is poverty destiny? Ideology vs. evidence in school reform GMR Transcription Dec 2012 #18
Members, I'm pretty sure this account is a spam bot. Starry Messenger Dec 2012 #19
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