I'm quitting uni!

I guess they're trying to prove stuff in a definitive manner. Or at least that seems to be the justification. I say they're just trying to make everyone else miserable with obscure and illogical literary formats.

Okay, part 1: I'm in the sciences, not the social studies side of things... we study real things (usually), not whether or not sex makes people happy. So again... that's my bias.

Having said which...

this is bad advice, unless you *want* to be in school, and want to learn something that school can teach you. I've been in school a long time, and the single clearest lesson is, if you don't want to be here, you shouldn't be here. Clearly, this applies to you, franklychris. There are good things to be found in school. There is also a lot of shit. There are good things to be found outside of school. (But there is still a lot of shit.)

Yes, some academics spend time proving silly things. On the other hand, some spend time proving stupendously important things (like, how to detect and stop harmful viruses, etc). About philosophy I'm mixed... there's a lot of good, solid, useful thought going on in philosophy... unfortunately, there's also a lot of post-modern new-age nonsense. It takes some work to see the good stuff, but it's there...

Anyway... just go for what seems right: do some good in the world, however you think that might be done! Seems like you can do some good, so don't be swayed by those who can't see what you're trying to do.

You're a good person – thank you, you helped me!!!

You're a good person – thank you, you helped me!!!

Wise! Wise I say!

You know, in a lot of jobs you spend a lot of time researching what others in your field have done already. No man is an island, and all that rot.

you sound like you have read fight club one too many times. .....the hippies thought this way 30 years ago and look where they are now.
-if all else fails the Peace Corp. i understand is really fun.

You know, in a lot of jobs you spend a lot of time researching what others in your field have done already. No man is an island, and all that rot.



sure no man is an island, but if you tie a bunch of them together, they make a pretty good raft.

I'd like to move us right to Soda_Pop. We had a chance to meet this young man, and boy that's just a straight shooter with upper management written all over him.



[Edited on Apr 07, 2005 by CaptainJim]

Can you imagine the implications if they'd found the opposite? Empirical social scientists (quantitative sociologists and economists) find some very surprising things when they run the numbers.

What's more, the point of this kind of result is it takes the debate out of the realm of the anecdotal. Imagine the following dinner-table (or pub) debate.

-"I bet people who have lots of sex are really happy."

-"Nah, I reckon that for lots of people, having lots of sex just means they've got some gap in their life they need to fill and they're overcompensating by shagging anything that moves."

Well, now you can respond with "Actually, empirical studies have revealed that having more sex is a statistically significant variable positively influencing people's perceived happiness."

When your drunk friends say "What the fuck, fancy-talking college boy?", you say "In plain English, getting laid a lot on average makes you happier."

I mean, studies have also shown that kids who grow up in households filled with books tend to do better academically. That might sound bleeding fucking obvious to you (or not, but whatever), but it's going to matter to anyone responsible for making policy about education or literacy or academic achievement. It's actually an important thing to know.

Frankly, Chris, I couldn't give a shit whether or not you finish uni. If your heart's really not in it, then don't waste your time, your lecturers' time, and yours and the public's money. But remember, it's about you deciding it's not right for you. It's got nothing to do with your perception of whether academic work is "relevant" or not, because basically, by definition, you wouldn't have a clue about that.

Then you haven't really experienced university yet. Most schools I know, the first two years are general education and weedout courses. If you make it through that, then you get to have fun. My senior year changed me quite a bit.

Are/were you paying for your own school?

My personal experience was this (and I hope that everyone can see that I'm not taking sides):

I went to four+ years of college, including over one year at the Sorbonne in France on exchange. I graduated with degrees in journalism and French. I worked my entire way through college, nursed two roommates and best friends through their deaths to cancer (Fucked up coincidence huh? Two 22 year-old girls) and bathed and changed my mom's diaper everyday (she has Multiple Sclerosis). Needless to say, at the end of the entire experience, I felt completely underwhelmed. I felt that the education I had received outside of school made me grow infinitely more than anything I experienced at the university.

However, my time at the "U" taught me to think critically. I learned that my experience wasn't readily understood or academically acceptable to everyone. As a result (and please don't take the drunk posts I leave here as evidence), I've become much more effective in my profession -- which, as a political operative, is basically perception management. Had I not been forced to understand the parallax with which I viewed the world, I could have never harnessed it to understand other people.

Was it worth countless thousands of dollars? I'm not sure. Regardless, I'd hate to see you write it off after less than one year. Sure, inspiration from one person might do the same thing for you -- but I'd be surprised if it didn't happen as a result of the teachings of a few different people at a decent university.

edit: Atrocious spelling and grammar all around. Great wine clearance at a store that's going under up the block.

[Edited on Apr 08, 2005 by Samebeat]

Just want to thank everyone one for their advice/opinions on this subject. I think I am going to quit, because my heart is not in it.
I'd also like to point out that a lot of work undertaken by academics is excellent and not to be dismissed easily. I think that the pace and style of academia is not suited to me – I prefer to read the books I want to read when I want to read them etc etc.

So anyway, I heard there's a good job going in Rome, lots of free world travel, lots of being nice and forgiving to people . . . sounds right up my street

thats what SHE said.

nudge nudge, wink wink, knowwhatimean?

the best thing to do is quit! that will really prepare you for life.

Boy, do I ever. I've been asked that so much I finally had inch detents tattooed on the ol' manhandle.

TRANSLATION: I = Too punk for you.

you're reading too far into it. his later work was translated by a bunch of linguists that didn't know fuck-all.