Changing your mind

[All uphill]

I'm acutely that my views reflect my upbringing, my life experience and my current situation as well as my personality.

I understand that different circumstances would have resulted in me having different ways of thinking, and different views.

That's one reason I try to avoid calling anyone stupid or engaging in yaa boo sucks exchanges here.

I am enjoying volunteering in retirement, first in a theatre, then with homeless people and now with refugees. None of those experiences have been at all what I expected.

 

[BoldonLad]

I'm acutely that my views reflect my upbringing, my life experience and my current situation as well as my personality.

I understand that different circumstances would have resulted in me having different ways of thinking, and different views.

That's one reason I try to avoid calling anyone stupid or engaging in yaa boo sucks exchanges here.

I am enjoying volunteering in retirement, first in a theatre, then with homeless people and now with refugees. None of those experiences have been at all what I expected.

Always better to play the ball and not the man, IMHO 😊

 

[First Aspect]

Are there any issues you feel strongly about where discussion on a forum (whether you took part, or kept quiet and listened to what other people were saying) changed your mind?

I changed my mind one

 

[First Aspect]

Are there any issues you feel strongly about where discussion on a forum (whether you took part, or kept quiet and listened to what other people were saying) changed your mind?

In seriousness, overall no, but I have had the corners knocked off some opinions.

For example, I now accept that people have the right to take worthless arts and humanities degrees, because it's a free country.

The one exception might be 20mph speed limits, which I initially found exasperating more as a cyclist than a driver. In light of persuasive data, I've changed my mind.

 

[Ianonabike]

I now accept that people have the right to take worthless arts and humanities degrees, because it's a free country.

Saw these and thought of your post:
https://www.bangor.ac.uk/centre-for-mindfulness/courses
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/946/studies-in-mindfulness/
https://www.uws.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-course-search/mindfulness-and-compassion/

 

[First Aspect]

Saw these and thought of your post:
https://www.bangor.ac.uk/centre-for-mindfulness/courses
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/946/studies-in-mindfulness/
https://www.uws.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-course-search/mindfulness-and-compassion/

As I say, people are welcome to do these degrees. I haven't changed my mind that they shouldn't be funded though. People may be less likely to do a lentil weaving degree if it costs £50k up front to do it.

 

[All uphill]

As I say, people are welcome to do these degrees. I haven't changed my mind that they shouldn't be funded though. People may be less likely to do a lentil weaving degree if it costs £50k up front to do it.

I kind of agree, but how would you distinguish between the worthwhile and the wastes of time?

 

[Pblakeney]

I kind of agree, but how would you distinguish between the worthwhile and the wastes of time?

One metric could be will you get a return on investment?
Assuming you are not wealthy enough to treat it as a hobby/interest. In which case knock yourself out.

 

[BoldonLad]

One metric could be will you get a return on investment?
Assuming you are not wealthy enough to treat it as a hobby/interest. In which case knock yourself out.

That would be fine for individuals financing their degree or whatever, but, how and who in Government would make that decision, to determine if a given Course should be financed with public money?

While I agree with the principal, I don't know how it could be reliably implemented. Perhaps, it is just necessary to accept that the decision system will not be perfect, and, that like various Government Statistics, we just have to accept "the best we can do"?

 

[First Aspect]

I kind of agree, but how would you distinguish between the worthwhile and the wastes of time?

Two main options. 1. Give the academic sector a fcuk ton on money to spend how they want 2. Let me decide.

 

[Pblakeney]

That would be fine for individuals financing their degree or whatever, but, how and who in Government would make that decision, to determine if a given Course should be financed with public money?

While I agree with the principal, I don't know how it could be reliably implemented. Perhaps, it is just necessary to accept that the decision system will not be perfect, and, that like various Government Statistics, we just have to accept "the best we can do"?

I think that was the principle thinking on introduction. People would work out the ROI and either go to pay it off, choose it's not worth it, or fund the hobby. People were over estimated.
FWIW, I think the focus should be on apprenticeships with college/uni included. Like I had. Best of all worlds.

 

[Rusty Nails]

I think that was the principle thinking on introduction. People would work out the ROI and either go to pay it off, choose it's not worth it, or fund the hobby. People were over estimated.
FWIW, I think the focus should be on apprenticeships with college/uni included. Like I had. Best of all worlds.

If higher education is all about training for specific work skills why not scrap degrees and go straight for BTECs all round.

Who needs degrees in Art, History, Literature, where's the benefit to national GDP.

 

[BoldonLad]

I think that was the principle thinking on introduction. People would work out the ROI and either go to pay it off, choose it's not worth it, or fund the hobby. People were over estimated.
FWIW, I think the focus should be on apprenticeships with college/uni included. Like I had. Best of all worlds.

Isn't the point that, the way the current system works:

if you take a degree which gives a good ROI, then you pay back a significant portion of the "loan", perhaps, even all of it

if you take a degree which does not give a good ROI, in all probability to pay back little or nothing of the "loan"

Only a Politician could dream up such a stupid system. IMHO.

 

[BoldonLad]

If higher education is all about training for specific work skills why not scrap degrees and go straight for BTECs all round.

Who needs degrees in Art, History, Literature, where's the benefit to national GDP.

Good point, let's just leave it as it is 😊

I suppose, "Higher Education" isn't just about training for specific work skills, but, (in my simple mind) the question is not 'should we have higher education beyond the work skills remit?", but, "who should fund such education?".

Perhaps, the State should fund the "Arts, History etc " degrees, and, Industry (who needs the work skills) should fund the "techie" stuff ?

 

[Pblakeney]

Isn't the point that, the way the current system works:

if you take a degree which gives a good ROI, then you pay back a significant portion of the "loan", perhaps, even all of it

if you take a degree which does not give a good ROI, in all probability to pay back little or nothing of the "loan"

Only a Politician could dream up such a stupid system. IMHO.

I think the bit in bold is the problem. People should put more consideration into why they are going to uni in the first place, and be made to pay it if they decide to go. Or return to a free for all but no subsidies, benefits etc, etc.
That is why I got an apprenticeship. My parents couldn't afford to fund me as a student, and that was when the courses were free. There is a whole lot of other costs to bear.