If we opened up the market and allowed Johnny Manziel to go to the highest bidder, what would he get? I would guess that he would get at least $1 million (and I bet it would be higher). Yet, Texas A&M gets him for $40,000 and some fringe benefits.
I'm not trying to devalue education. For 97% of college athletes, a scholarship is ample (and probably excessive) compensation for their contribution to the school. But, for the super elite 3 percent of basketball and football players, it is massively exploitative.
Variatio delectat - Cicero
I have no degree and I'm ridiculously ahead of my peer group in about every measurable financial way, unless they had trust funds or large inheritances (and I'd even beat some of those.)
So yeah, I'm unaware I guess.
I know you'll say small sample size, but my response is that the data you're looking at is all backwards looking and has little to do with what is happening now and will happen in the future.
Surely, everyone has to realize college degrees have been devalued with so many people getting them, and that's not even getting into the dubious cost to benefit ratio after the last decade of skyrocketing tuition. I sort of work in the field, kids and adults going to school are 100% getting a raw deal. The only way it makes sense to go to school is if it's free or heavily discounted, or if you really have your heart set on something that actually requires the knowledge to do the job (doctor, lawyer, accountant, etc.) I just don't think colleges are giving up something incredibly valuable to these athletes.
I shouldn't have said worthless, I was being glib. It has some worth. Not as much as some seem to think, and not nearly enough to be just compensation for the more elite athletes.
As an aside, Braxton Miller might not be the reason Ohio State sells out, but he's a big reason they went 12-0 last year, and 12-0 sells a lot more jerseys than 6-6. I've lived in Columbus under both scenarios, and it's pretty apparent.
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Sounds like more rationilization to vindicate one's choices than truth. It seems you are ridiculously ahead of your peer group in lacking humility also. While some of university is more trade school than intellectual pursuit, there is more to receiving a higher education than wage potential at some point in time.
Last edited by traderumor; 03-22-2013 at 12:45 PM.
"Rounding 3rd and heading for home, good night everybody"
"Rounding 3rd and heading for home, good night everybody"
Honestly not trying to offend you, but this is what I would have said about your earlier posts on this subject.
All the non-wage benefits of a university education can be accomplished via self study, both the academic and socialization aspects. Possibly an argument could be made for the networking, which I would accept for the kids who get into Harvard, Stanford, etc.
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Meh, I actually agree with most of what you are saying, but you seem pretty set in your ways. I don't mean to be dismissive, but you literally "wouldn't understand" since you didn't go to school...
What I would say is that you are building a strawman at best, as well as begging the question. I'm glad you have found a path that does not involve higher education and succeeding in your current situation.
However, it is arrogant to devalue an entire path because it is not the one you chose and you're thriving. Your argument as presented thus far assumes (begging the question) you have exhausted the cash and non-cash benefits of a college degree, compared it to your earnings, and declared a college education to add no value, with "compared to my current lifetime earnings, I'm ahead and I don't have a college degree."
Perhaps you would not have used this flawed logic.............with more education!
"Rounding 3rd and heading for home, good night everybody"
I was in college during the end of the Cooper years with Bellisari at the helm. I was also there in 2002 and 2003 when the team won a National Championship as well as were in the hunt for a second up until the last game of the season. Regardless of the team there weren't any empty seats in any of the games I attended and there sure weren't a shortage of OSU jerseys.
40% of college grads are taking jobs today that don't require a degree. How many more college grads are working in a field that doesn't require the degree that they do have?
Let's also not confuse education with knowledge. Just because someone didn't go to college doesn't mean they aren't incredibly knowledgeable.
Arrogant, possibly, I'm not seeing the flawed logic, and you're not proving it with your post. Just saying it is so, does not make it so. Crying strawman and saying I'm begging the question is so incredibly lazy unless you're going to specifically point it out. You didn't refute anything I said, surely you see that? I'm discussing it all in good faith, but you're just devolving into name calling and lazy arguments.
It's very possible I haven't "exhausted" the benefits and non-benefits of a college education, but you're not showing me any of which I'm unaware, so I guess I'll just stay ignorant.
You seem really touchy about your education and it's merits. I know it probably sucks sending in that student loan check every month (of course, I wouldn't know!), but it's still possible to consider it all rationally.
I was at Ohio State for Bellisari also (I didn't graduate so wasn't there anymore in 2002, but was still in Columbus) and I saw a difference. I saw empty seats too. They were officially sell outs though. But 1999 was after a pretty good decade, give me 4-5 1999's in a row and things would change, and it's guys like Braxton Miller who ensure that doesn't happen.
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
I most certainly demonstrated you begging the question. Your strawman is constructed of the arguments that you have used already. You are making the claims, I rebutted them AND demonstrated exactly HOW you were begging the question.
If you think a college education is not valuable, that's dandy. But please do not present your opinion as if you have evidence to support it because you think you've outearned your peers to date (more begging the question).
The funny thing is that I am not a "you MUST go to college if you want to make it in this world...." type of guy, so the ad hominem "touchy" attack is misplaced. For example, I have not saved a dime for my kids college education, that's their choice. If they go, I will financially support them to help them get ahead, if they don't I will support them to help them get ahead.
I am merely addressing your arrogance and weak, illogical argumentation on the subject. As for being irrational, that is defined as illogical argumentation. But you go on with your bad self, Mr. Alger.
"Rounding 3rd and heading for home, good night everybody"
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