Re: This dude is "Money"
This is actually a subject that I've debated with myself and with others several times. I'm one of the "on daddys dime" kids that some of you have mentioned. I did work full time all but my first semester at college though and paid my living expenses, vehicle, spending money etc. I am glad, in retrospect, that I went to college as it has opened doors for me in my career. My job doesn't require a college degree, but the guy that later hired me valued formal education and told me that is what seperated me from the other 70 people he interviewed for 2 positions. Now, my only regret from college is that I was too immature to take full advantage of the opportunity. There are 2 types of college graduates: Those that went into college with a clear goal in mind and college was a stepping stone on their journey. And those, like me, who went to college because that is what their parents wanted them to do and chose to go through the motions of college, party, chase girls and "get by". My little brother is one of the former, he has always wanted to be a mechanical engineer and now he's living that dream and his drive towards that goal coupled with his education/degrees are what made it attainable for him.
All that said, I don't think that a degree is ever going to be anyones ticket to easy street. I am always impressed by what people with very little formal education were able to learn on their own, accomplish and achieve. The most savvy businessman I know only has a 4th grade education, owns car dealerships all over the country, owns the land underneath several huge shopping centers, a minor league baseball team, a trucking company, a fleet of corporate jets and flys around in his personal helicopter. My cousin dropped out of school with a 9th grade education and would be considered a success by anyones measure. Not everyone should go to college, not everyone needs college and then there are some that college would only serve to hamstring them in accomplishing their goals......because their just that damn unstoppable. I believe that many people confuse education with intelligence. The two have very little in common in my opinion. Education is something that you can get, can work for, acquire. Intelligence?.....You either have it, or you don't. Some jobs require education, some require intelligence and some jobs you had better have both.