1-11-14 Hodgepodge

Degree Inflation

A Wall Street Journal article titled, "How the College Bubble Will Burst" offers some interesting statistics to ponder, such as the following:

[T]he 2013 Center for College Affordability and Productivity report, found explosive growth in the number of college graduates taking relatively unskilled jobs. We now have more college graduates working in retail than soldiers in the U.S. Army, and more janitors with bachelor's degrees than chemists. In 1970, less than 1% of taxi drivers had college degrees. Four decades later, more than 15% do. [bold added]

The article correctly notes that, as colleges face declining enrollments, they should cut costs. That said, it should have delved into why colleges have become so expensive in the first place. There is a strong stench of money made artificially easy to come by through such perverse government incentives as too-easy-to-get student loans and outright redistribution of loot obtained through taxation,

Weekend Reading

"Psychological self-reliance is the ability to be alone without being lonely." -- Michael Hurd, in "Be an Outlaw!" at The Delaware Wave

"Outspoken Las Vegas magician Penn Jillette says it perfectly: 'Luck is probability taken personally.'" -- Michael Hurd, in "Make Yourself Lucky!" at The Delaware Coast Press

"What would never occur to the inequality-haters is a simple fact: it is to the interest of the poor man that those around him be as wealthy as possible." -- Harry Binswanger, in "President Obama, Stop Damning the Achievers for Their Virtues" at Forbes

My Two Cents

I have seen various attempts to make a point similar to Michael Hurd's contention that luck is a state of mind, but they have often verged on kicking the unlucky while they are down. A sincere desire to help on Hurd's part comes across in his treating the negative view of chance as a mistake that one can correct with some effort. This is far more constructive (and appropriate for advice intended for a general audience) than focusing on the moral aspect of that problem.

Ricky Gervais on Success

Via HBL, another gem from the famous comedian:

... I was the laziest man in the world before I made The Office but now I'm addicted to that sort of success. Pride in my work. Now I'm a workaholic, because I realize that the hard work is sort of a reward in itself. Winston Churchillsaid, "If you find a job you really love, you'll never work again." That's what it feels like most of the time. I love it so it's less like work and more like play. Although I'm a strong believer that creativity is the ability to play.

Gervais also has an interesting take on market size for truly creative work.

--CAV