In a message dated 7/2/99 4:06:28 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> I wish there were people on the list, with college degrees, who just
>  have no doubt that they just  _love_  what they do (like I do), that
>  would speak up as examples. Without that, all I can say is I know
>  _plenty_  of people, with college degrees, who are just on  _fire_
>  for their chosen field - whether it be a fine arts degree, sports,
>  allied health, cancer research, math, biology, psychology, dance,
>  filmmaking, literature  --  What can I say? :D

Liza,

I have a college degree.....B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and M.S. in
Engineering Mechanics.  I graduated with honors and a near 4.0 grade
point
average.  I had my choice of jobs coming out of school (I'm not saying
this
to brag, just to show you that I am very well educated person and in
spite
of this, I differ strongly with your views on formal education).

I have come to realize over the last 10 years of being in the real
world,
that most formal college "education" is really "indoctrination"!
Einstein
flunked out of school.....why?  Because he was bored stiff!  Brilliant
minds
see right through the indoctrination....they think for themselves!
And
that's what formal education DOESN'T train you to do at all!  They
train you
to learn the "party line" of thinking in a particular field.  Most of
today's scientists are NOT open minded....they are indoctrinated in a
particular belief system which they will vehemently defend until the
paradigm
in their field shifts to the point where they have no choice.  History
shows
us time and time again that it's the "free thinkers," the "radicals,"
the
"outcasts" that make true scientific breakthroughs....it's never the
"party
line, let's memorize what my professors taught me" type people.  They
are
just zombies, even though they may not even realize it.

So in my mind, getting a degree in some field simply means that you
are
willing to sacrifice your integrity and commitment to thinking for
yourself,
for the rewards of a secure job or position, and pats on the back from
fellow indoctrinated souls.

Fortunately, I'm one of the indoctrinated that broke out of the mold!
:-)

Steve