True, but that being the case, I don't think coercing a bunch of mediocre people into STEM is going to do any good for them in general, or for those fields. I've met many mediocre, uninspired STEM folks who have shyt jobs and unhappy lives. Even now, look at the situation of these Asian kids who are forced into those majors by their parents. Many of them end up not much better off than kids who choose less practical majors, due to a lack of passion and aptitude combined with the rigors of our present job market. I'm not sure amplifiying that situation will be worth it. These people aren't stimulating the field or providing any kind of innovation. [/qoute]
I mean, the way I see it is this. For starters, the idea that people w/soft degrees all pursued their passion is kind of bogus. Hell a lot of people who pursued their passion either way are unhappy in their careers just due to shytty jobs in their fields. But the way I see it, just like those Asian kids go into STEM fields because they are forced to, a lot of, if not most American kids go to college period because of societal/familial expectations and are similarly disillusioned about education and employment. The difference of course being, when its all said and done, the Asian kids are at least employable.
I think American culture is too focused on pleasure. Work is work, its not necessarily meant to be what everyone's dream is. Most jobs are not built around making employees happy + spiritually fulfilled IMO.
I think this could be better achieved by actual education reform. I think you're probably right that it would net a small number of successful STEM folks we wouldn't have otherwise, but I'm skeptical about it achieving more than that. As for the costs, I think those are pretty obvious and outweigh in this case. In an educational environment like this one, I see this is a potentially toxic measure.
Wholesale reform, especially regarding tuition, would def be a legit cure all, but we have to approach it through steps. And in any case we do have a bit of a STEM crisis. There is no reason the US couldn't produce all of its STEM candidates, rather than having to import them as we do now. If this sparks an interest in STEM then I am reluctantly for it.
Good point, but I think degree inflation means that the undergrad degree will be just as malleable now as it was then, though for exactly the wrong reasons, and at much greater expense.
Fair enough. I may just be being unreasonable but I feel like any jump start to get more STEM candidates is worth pursuing, at least in the short term. This plan is definitely flawed, but it's better than nothing, in the context of our labor pool.
at anthro majors nonetheless
