bovine university.

i am pretty tired of hearing about people who, in this day and age, still insist that their children have to go to university. also sick of the way people throw laud upon those who have a doctorate, or a master's... as if that is the be all and end all of success.

"without a post secondary education you can't get a job that's much higher than working at mcdonald's," they have said. aside from having to learn a specific skill/trade- it is simply untrue, and i call bullshit.

first of all, the crap myth that people are unemployable if they have not spent $40k+ on schooling is, well... crap. come on people. you don't need a university education to work a reception job, and if that's what They™ tell you, then call them on it. so what, you passed a bunch of tests and memorized some facts long enough to pass those tests, and now what? you have a piece of paper that says you did the aforementioned and somehow you are suddenly ten times more employable than the others who haven't? it doesn't make sense because it is part of our fucked up system... that we perpetuate. there are thousands of university graduates every year who cannot find jobs, cannot sustain an independent life due to crushing debt, or are simply the same moron with a hat rack for a head that they were when they entered post secondary school four years ago. who is to say that i can't be "successful" (this is the term people equate with having 100 foot televisions and diamonds the size of babies) without that piece of paper?

the truth is, regardless of choosing to further your formal education or not, you still have to make up your mind to do it. it's all mental. the boundaries we have, the ideas that we need this or need that to survive in this world are mental walls. just another brick. it is a matter of discipline and determination and you can most certainly teach yourself (by reading books, etc.) how to do most of what the work force needs. i digress.

second, experience trumps book learnding, always has and always will. the reason why is that whereas formal education runs on a specific time line with specific requirements and goals, life outside is unpredictable. employers know this, your university professors know this, all adults know this (retrospectively), and i think a lot of kids know it deep down. sorry to say, but i am pretty sure that me having 8 years of experience doing what i do at the same company will win out over any newly graduated pudding cup.

i am not trying to say it is never necessary, but after a discussion with my friend last night who insists that her child go to university, and tried to tell me the reasons why, i am pretty annoyed by the subject. who are you to say that your child will even want to go? if he doesn't, what then- will you force him? bullshit.

i'm getting all worked up again, but really- the idea that you can't get anywhere without it starts in your head. i thought that for years when i was younger, until i threw myself into debt for two worthless years at university. i dropped out 'cause of some useless bureaucratic crap that would have had me fail a course (thus having to pay more to repeat it). fuck you. i dropped out that very day when i left the classroom. don't regret it. i refuse to jump through unnecessary hoops. fuck you, i'll do it on my own.

and i am. and so can anyone.

i just don't get it- to me, an artist who has lived a lifetime and never compromised their integrity for the sake of money is far superior to someone with a master's who was simply forced to get it by their parents... even if the artist lives in a tiny apartment and nobody knows their name.

people need to stand up and say no to this formula. if you need a university education to get a job then make it free or go fuck yourself, i'll do it alone.