[abbasmehdi]

Mistaken views of the origin? Maybe. However the current economic state of the western society affords us to indulge in intellectual enrichment purely for the sake of it. In the pre 18th century era the difference between having and not having vocational training translated to the difference between starving and freezing to death or not. Now, even earning minimum wage or something close to it can afford us food and shelter, thus making the risk of going to school for "your passion" rather than "find work" much less life-threatening. Excluding a few exceptions, the economic gap has shrunken between the rich and poor. Given this comparative cushioned state, it is absolutely reasonable for universities to be expected to provide intellectual fulfillment and feed curiosities.