Hacker News Reader

Comment by dahfizz | Hacker News Reader

I have never found the argument that "college isn't about getting a job" convincing. Yes, it's important to be well rounded and expand your horizons and all the other platitudes that people say. But I'm not paying tuition to be "well rounded", I'm going to college as an investment in my own human capital. I can read an interesting book in the evening to be "well rounded".

View on HN

Some people confuse being well-rounded with having other people tell you their ideas and then being able to repeat and maybe even riff on them.

Perhaps some people are paying tuition to such intangible benefits, just you (and I) aren't. Many people in such situations likely repudiate the whole concept of "human capital" (and maybe with good reason).

That does seem like buying a car factory because you like the new car smell, in a way. Maybe it's the bias of my own experiences, but I can't imagine what rational person faced with the realities of the world would spend tens of thousands of dollars (and $1 million+ over thier lifetime potentially) and years of thier lives in pursuit of what is essientially a curiosity or hobby (unless they are already very well off).

If one does have such an intense interest in some topic, getting a "real degree" at college would offer them a lifetime of spare money and time to pursue it. You can't do much painting working 80 hours at McDonald's only to not be able to afford paint. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com