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You Have a College Degree: So What?
Posted on November 20th, 2009 1 comment
In wealthy countries such as the United States, many things that were once highly valued (and still are valued abroad) have lost their glitter. One example of this is a college Education. Not too long ago a College education was a big deal. But these days, it’s practically the equivalent of a high school diploma.Many things in the U.S. like education, now have diminished value, and a College education is one perfect example. These days you not only been a bachelors degree to get a decent job, in many cases you need a Masters degree, MBA or PHD.
According to the world bank, approximately 31% of the U.S. population has completed post secondary education. Compared to 8.2% in 1950. The U.S. has the highest level of college graduates, even among other highly developed nations. For example Germany is at 11%, and Japan is at 15%.
But the numbers get even lower if we look at developing nations. In Brazil for example the number of post secondary educated people in the country is just 5.7%, Colombia is at 6.7%, Italy is 8.3%, Cuba is at 8.6% and Poland is at 9.6%.
It’s pretty clear that in the U.S., since so many people now have college degrees, having one really doesn’t say much about you. But, I always like to view things on a global level. Many things that are taken for granted in the U.S. like a college degree, a good job, economic stability, and an education among other things are still valued very highly by society in places where these things aren’t so common.
Tell an American girl you just graduate with a degree in economics, and she’ll shrug. But tell a Brazilian girl the same thing and she might be a bit impressed. By the same token, there many college graduates that can’t even get a job once they graduate in the U.S. But if you take that degree abroad, it has much more clout and weight with employers.
Although a College education may be scoffed at by some people in the U.S., it’s nothing to be laughed at on a global level. One of the measures of manhood is the ability to set, and achieve goals. Obtaining a degree is by no means an easily obtainable goal, and it does deserve it’s merits. Also, in today’s technology driven society, most of the man’s productivity, is now done on a mental level. We no longer run around the forest killing our food with bows, arrows, and sticks. In today’s world a man’s productivity, and a mans ability to provide the most basic needs of food, shelter, and stability is his ability to earn a living and earn wages. Wages are directly correlated to the level of education.
As with everything else on my website and blog, I don’t just look at things from an American perspective. Many American guys are closed off to the notion that things abroad including society and culture are much different and operate at different levels. What applies in the U.S. doesn’t always apply abroad.
The truth is that in many foreign countries including European ones, a degree, and an education makes you stand out both with employers but also with the opposite sex. Globally the post secondary education rate is 9.1%. If you hold a degree consider yourself among that top 9.1% most educated of the world population, congratulations.
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Mark DeYoung January 4th, 2010 at 14:20