[rfurlong]

This article, like many articles on Hacker News equates the value of education into dollars. Education, intrinsically, cannot be solely measured in dollars. The problem isn't people getting useless degrees, its degrees that don't correspond to high paying jobs in the current economy costing too much. THERE IS NO SHAME IN GETTING A DEGREE IN LITERATURE. Education should be free.

I just get a knee jerk reaction to any article like this because it wholly overlooks how education is supposed to make you a better human being, not a money making machine.

Articles like this take the easy way and basically say ASSIMILATE or die. Yea, thats going to solve the problem...

[Domenic_S]

> THERE IS NO SHAME IN GETTING A DEGREE IN LITERATURE.

I agree with you, but the supply side of the education system agrees with you all the way to the bank.

The real point is: the traditional education model is usually a bad financial deal. If you want to learn, do so -- but don't be swindled into taking out loans for it.

[rfurlong]

I agree with your real point, however, I would not say the current model is the traditional or even universal model. Countries other than the US have much better models. I just get tired of the discussion not focusing on the problem and instead accepting it. Universities are often the best place to get an awesome education in the humanities. Withholding that opportunity because education has been transformed into some financial investment, instead of a holistic investments that not everyone can take is just plain sad.

I think its also important to point out that the skills and concepts you learn in areas such as the social sciences and humanities are still financially lucrative. As long as our economy is dominated by big corporations there will be managers and CEOs whos only job is to delegate tasks to and organize the humans beneath them. Understanding human power structures and having the ability to persuade and communicate effectively with people will always be the real big money ticket.

[ucee054]

Absent massive political change, the only way the price will come down for humanities degrees is if people stop signing up for them. Supply and demand.

It is the logical next step to tell the colleges: "No, I will not pay the same for your Art History degree as for an Engineering degree - Engineering will pay for itself at that price by getting me a good job while Art History won't."

[agorabinary]

There is no shame in pursuing a career in literature, but whether it is wise or not to spend $200k to get there instead of 75 cents in late fees at the public library..that's another thing altogether.

[Crake]

No shame in going to the library, either. (Less snob cred, though.)