[apsurd]

i’m not the parent, but you’re using college and learning interchangeably in the discussion. Learning is indisputably causal and necessary and valuable toward a better life and better earning and employment opportunities. what’s in debate is whether college as the mechanism for learning still holds up with regard to various parameters. it’s not obvious and the problem is there’s tremendous inertia biasing the status quo.

On if college was accessible and free would that change the equation: yes of course. I’d recommend anyone go to college that can, (i didn’t) but it wouldn’t because it’s the best way to learn a topic, and id recommend it with the transparency that it won’t make or break the rest of your life and you can learn whatever you want whenever you want for the rest of your life so take the long view here.

[dahart]

Yes you’re right; I am leaning heavily on the learning part of college and maybe I’m downplaying some of the negatives. (Or maybe it’s just objectively worse on average now than when I went to college; schools have definitely gotten more expensive over time.) I admit that a degree is neither the only way to learn things, nor necessarily the best way to learn things. I agree there’s massive inertia in this system too. Maybe I’m rationalizing, but I truly enjoyed my time in school and feel like I got a lot out of it, but I’m aware that not everyone does. And even if there are stats and averages that paint a rosy picture, there’s certainly no guarantee; not everyone with a degree makes more money or leaves feeling like they were bestowed any intangible benefits.