You are viewing a single comment's thread.

view the rest of the comments →

0
1

[–] bonghits4jeebus 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

I don't know that they ever focused exclusively on STEM. Sure, they debated better books back in the day, but there's always been a great deal of trivial discourse. University was also a place for bookish people who didn't need jobs to hang around and discuss whatever interested them.

0
0

[–] NoApologyTour ago 

It wasn’t exclusive, they’ve had Law and English departments for centuries. But the focus, particularly in regards to research, has been STEM.

Now everything has been branded a science and is studied. Often through a social lens with no real scientific principles at all (ie gender studies).

0
0

[–] bonghits4jeebus ago 

One thing I think has gone wrong is a confusion between secondary schooling, scholarship, and vocational training. Nothing wrong with reading some good books -- I think most people benefit from it. Getting more time in school is beneficial, and a lot of people will benefit from that studying in their jobs. But schooling is not a substitute for vocational training, nor for apprenticeship, both of which should exist. Most jobs which currently "require" a college degree ought not to. But I'm not saying people shouldn't go to school. More like do both.