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chaz47
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
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 Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 8:51 pm Post subject: anyone else here have a liberal or fine arts degree? |
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i was reflecting on the drudgery i had to endure back home following college... i blame my education for my dissatisfaction with my life back there... something tells me ignorance would have been bliss, or something like a technical or science degree would have led to ignorance of philosophy and higher ideals which would have allowed me some degree of contentment in the vast machine of wage slave consumerism...
feh... higher education
i think life abroad is much more satisfying so far... at least my degree allowed that...
anyone else feel this way? |
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periwinkle
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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| I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts- I lost my art school idealism the minute I started interning. A cog in the machine, I am. And anti-depressants work wonders, I tell you. heh heh heh heh~ |
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SPINOZA
Joined: 10 Jun 2005
Location: $eoul
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:05 pm Post subject: Re: anyone else here have a liberal or fine arts degree? |
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| chaz47 wrote: |
i was reflecting on the drudgery i had to endure back home following college... i blame my education for my dissatisfaction with my life back there... something tells me ignorance would have been bliss, or something like a technical or science degree would have led to ignorance of philosophy and higher ideals which would have allowed me some degree of contentment in the vast machine of wage slave consumerism...
feh... higher education
i think life abroad is much more satisfying so far... at least my degree allowed that...
anyone else feel this way? |
absolutely. |
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seoulsucker
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Yup...BA in Communication. It allowed me to get a great job back in the states as a cameraman/editor for an ABC affiliate, but that job was way too depressing. They say you get desensitized to the world's woes by watching the news...imagine your entire life revolving around the worst aspects of human nature. |
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ilovebdt
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Location: Nr Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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I have a BA Joint Honours in French and German. I am very disappointed by the opportunities open to language graduates.
If anyone was to ask me whether I thought it was worth going to university today, I would say yes if you are thinking about any vocational subject e.g. medicine, dentistry. If not, you would be wasting your time.
Ilovebdt |
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periwinkle
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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| seoulsucker wrote: |
| Yup...BA in Communication. It allowed me to get a great job back in the states as a cameraman/editor for an ABC affiliate, but that job was way too depressing. They say you get desensitized to the world's woes by watching the news...imagine your entire life revolving around the worst aspects of human nature. |
Wow- cool job! Feel like sharing any stories? ^^ |
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europe2seoul
Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Location: Seoul, Korea
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:38 pm Post subject: Re: anyone else here have a liberal or fine arts degree? |
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| chaz47 wrote: |
or something like a technical or science degree would have led to ignorance of philosophy and higher ideals which would have allowed me some degree of contentment in the vast machine of wage slave consumerism...
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Right With a technical or science degree you can:
1) Get a job
2) Get money
3) Go on vacations and experience other worlds/cultures because of 2)
With a Humanties/Liberal Arts degree in most cases:
1) You can't get a job easily
2) If you do its not a high paying job - constant struggle
3) Are not so marketable in the global job market
4) If you want to experience other cultures/countries you have to work at job that are either not your major or a limited career-wise due to 3)
So what is the purpose of having a non-tehnical non-science degree?
Its a nice hobby to enjoy other things which are like that, to be a more complete person with higher views than just math (aka. called geek - but just as boring are the people talking about only literature and things like that). Then again, I guess someone has to do it.... |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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philosophy major, sociology minor (more micro), also intently studied anthropology, literature, history
wish i hadn't also majored in economics... that "practical" area has been a real waste, except for my understanding of business talk during my five-year journalism career.
the humanities are very useful - though not "practical", when narrowly defined. |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Probably more a matter of asking who *doesn't* have a liberal arts degree here. |
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periwinkle
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:03 pm Post subject: |
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| crazylemongirl wrote: |
| Probably more a matter of asking who *doesn't* have a liberal arts degree here. |
True, true. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:05 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, I wish I'd studied computers or engineering. Especially when you meet engineers and they travel all over the world on contracts that last several months each with lots of time off around that.
I have a BA in Business (doesn't do much unless you study at a prestigious school and now you'd almost need an MBA).. and now I nearly almost have a MA in something similar to International Relations.
Still though.. 13 years after graduating university.. and I've essentially either taught ESL or worked in TONS of temp office jobs throughout the U.S.
Last edited by Tiger Beer on Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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europe2seoul
Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Location: Seoul, Korea
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Tiger Beer wrote: |
Yeah, I wish I'd studied computers or engineering. Especially when you meet engineers and they travel all over the world on contracts that last several months each with lots of time off around that.
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Doing contractual based work like the one you described is very unsecure. You never know when will you get a new one.
Sure, if you are well-established business professional in that field, people know you then you will get a gig easily. But if you do not have 10+ years of experience then it may be very tricky to do contract-based work only.
And post .com bubble burst in 2000, it was very difficult for recent grads to get a job in engineering field becase of bad economy and the fact they did not have any practical experience.
So those engineers that travel around the world with time off are more an exception than the rule. Many of them just go to the office and go back home. However, they can get a job more *easily* that is paid enough than liberal arts majors.
To other posters: Yes, there are people on this board with science/engineering degrees and working in their field in Korea. |
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ilovebdt
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Location: Nr Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Tiger Beer wrote: |
Still though.. 13 years after graduating high school.. and I've essentially either taught ESL or worked in TONS of temp office jobs throughout the U.S. |
Ditto. |
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cazador83
Joined: 28 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:22 am Post subject: |
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yep, I majored in Spanish and minored in English & Linguistics.
i feel the pain |
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SirFink
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:43 am Post subject: Re: anyone else here have a liberal or fine arts degree? |
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| chaz47 wrote: |
anyone else feel this way? |
Yes. I posted a long rant a month ago but phperror ate it and I'm too lazy to write it again.
Higher education, while sometimes good and useful, has become an industry. There's money to be made and schools are all too happy to offer degrees in Underwater Basket Weaving and parents tell their kids "as long as you're happy, sweetheart." Parents also tell their kids "get an education!! Don't end up a plumber like dad." Meanwhile dad the plumber is earning $60,000/year, in a nice union, a solid pension, etc. and his kid with the useless Master's is slinging coffee at Starbuck's.
I'm not sure that the push for education is such a great thing. The world needs car mechanics and street sweepers and one can be well-paid and happy as a car mechanic, despite the dirty fingernails. All those philosophy and lit classes made me into too much of a thinker. Perhaps the unexamined life isn't worth living. I think therefore I am depressed.  |
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