Several folks are giving Frankie a hard time here, but it's not deserved. His only reference to college degree is when he is giving motivation and advice to his daughter (what's wrong with that?!?). Frankie's only dismissive comment was about high school dropouts, not about those with no college degree.Frankie wrote:Agreed, it is a fair point but I will assume the last question was a rhetorical one and since I feel it is boarding on a personal attack, I am not going to answer it.Cedar Park Dad wrote:Fair point.G26ster wrote:A college degree is a noble and worthwhile goal, but if everyone was a graduate with a degree, you'd have a lot of folks living in mom and dad's basement without work, and no one to build our houses, roads, build/repair our vehicles, plumbing, A/C, build our "Made in America" goods, paint our house, replace our roofs, and the myriad of other things we all require in life. There used to be a time in this country when pride in one's trade meant that actual experts and craftsmen in their field were available, but nowadays finding a true "craftsman" in darn near impossible. I guess I come from a time in this country where having a degree or not having one was not used to judge folks' worth to society.Frankie wrote:My wife and I are always encouraging our daughter (13) to work hard, study hard because education and hard work are her best options to have a rewarding career. Anytime we receive bad service or a poor attitude from a minimum wage employee at any establishment, I usually turn to her and tell her, that is why you need to graduate college.
One day after being give the wrong order in a drive thru and getting eye's rolled at us when we politely requested they correct their mistake, as we pulled away she says: I have two things I say to high school drop outs: 1. You did your best and 2. I don't want pickles on my burger.
Just a question. How do you know the poor service you received from a "minimum wage employee," was not a person enrolled in college paying their way through or earning living expenses? Are you psychic?
I will however, quantify my statements by providing a little bit about me:
1. I am not nor will I ever be a college graduate.
2. I spent the majority of my teen and 20's doing exactly these types of jobs and often time multiple minimum wage jobs at the same time.
3. Like my father and his father before him, I enlisted in the military because I had no future in what I was doing.
4, I served honorable until I became injured and no longer met the physical requirements to serve. I was discharged and after 14 months of attempting to attending community college under the VA vocational rehabilitation program (Chapter 31) i left school to work full time for "minimum wage"
I encourage my daughter to complete collage so she has opportunity and options not open to those with out a degree. Since age 3 she has insisted on wanting to be a veterinarian. She can not and will not ever become a licensed veterinarian is she does not complete a college degree. I can appreciate all the "skilled" jobs you pointed out in your post but I can also appreciate that not a single one of us would ever seek the services of a physician, attorney, or the many other careers that require one to achieve a advanced degree.
My comment to regarding "that is why you need to graduate college" is not one directed at the person but the situation. I encourage her to achieve a higher education not for financial benefit, but the benefit of opportunity and to achieve the goals that she has set for herself.
If my post in anyway offend anyone or conveyed that I am looking down on or encouraging my daughter to look down upon people in service or "minimum wage" jobs, I apologize and assure you, this is not the case. It's not my place to judge my fell man but alas, I am human and privy to fault. So when I do judge people, it is based upon their actions not their job, income or education.
I think we should cut a little slack here...