Yuyutsu,
Nor was I.

Dear Aidan,

When I was studying in university, some professors would refer to this phenomenon of students coming for the sake of gaining a good job, as "prostitution of this temple of science".

Well, I do not share their views about the sanctity of universities and I realise that the vast majority of students come for different reasons apart from making science: to socialise, to have fun, to avoid work, to find romantic partners/spouses, or simply to obey their parents. In some countries it was also a way to escape conscription.

The problem about expecting people who are ready to work (apart from that minority who are truly thirsty for knowledge) to first obtain degrees/diplomas, is that it creates a vicious cycle, a spiraling pressure of competition, that only makes life more stressful and complex. Gone are the days when a diligent young person could simply and cheerfully jump in to become a cobbler, or a school/kindergarten-teacher, or a carer, etc.

Apart from the enormous resources wasted in higher-education on those who do not truly seek knowledge, this contributes to the unhappy, competitive society we now live in.

Yuyutsu,
I think you're misattributing the source of the "spiralling pressure of competition". The reason the competition's so fierce is because there aren't enough jobs being created. This is because the combination of fiscal and monetary policy has been set too tight.

Of course the IPA, in their ivory towers, not only fail to recognise that, but also strongly advocate policies that make the problem worse!

When did they allow unqualified people to become school teachers?
Whenever it was, good riddance to those days!

Yuyutsu,

What did you do at university?

Dear Aidan,

Most of my teachers in primary school did not have formal qualifications. Instead, they had high ideals and felt the calling to educate, to pass on their knowledge and morals to the younger generation. Later on, the unions obtained higher wages for teachers with tertiary degrees, even more to teachers with masters or doctorates, so by the time I was in high school most teachers had a degree or two, but still not all.

I will not comment on things I have no knowledge of, such as fiscal/monetary policies, or the "IPA" which I don't even know what these initials stand for.

Was my education lacking? whose isn't, sure I was not taught in school about making money and profits or about economic policies, but I did learn about kindness and values and that is not something one learns in universities. One thing I can only be grateful for is, that they never taught me materialism!

In my times, any person who was honestly willing to work, could find work, or better still, create work for themselves. Even the non-intellectual types, even those who failed to complete school, they could all start a trade and earn an honest living without any qualifications. The intellectually inclined could similarly become teachers or laboratory-assistants, learning at work and eventually ending up doing science and engineering with no formal qualifications.

I don't know about this "IPA": perhaps they contributed too towards our competitive misery, but it is mainly the machines, computers and robots that took over and robbed us of the simplicity and joy in service we once had, especially those of us who were not designed from birth for highly intellectual exploits.

Yuyutsu,

So are you telling me you did nothing at university?

Please, tell me something I hadn't already worked out.