To what extent do Memory and Language distort belief (that College is (or isn't) a good investment)?
Specifically: The part where they were discussing how older people lived in an era where it was possible to pay your way through college, and don't necessarily understand it's usually no longer possible for the current generations.
Using the specific example of how older people remember being able to pay for college with minimal effort, a way to develop this knowledge question is to set a contrast between how older people and younger people view paying for college. Connecting it to the real world example, using old world beliefs and memories to distort the belief that college is easy to pay for can trick young high school grads into paying for expensive programs that may not be worth it, make them believe scholarships or getting the most out of their financial aid is unnecessary, or place less emphasis on the struggles people face when they have large amounts of student debt. Looking at memory and language in general, both of these things are malleable and may cause a person to view something in a different light because of how it is phrased or because of one's personal experiences. Thus, memory and language are extremely dangerous because of their subjectivity. This a good question that can be taken in a number of directions.
ReplyDeleteIn order to develop this knowledge question it is important to address the generational gap, where older people have an antiquated perspective on paying for college easily and younger people believe it to be a huge financial obligation that often comes with loans and debt. Furthermore, addressing the dispute between the current income wealth disparity, existent among the current generation, would add another layer to an increasingly economically-based problem. Additionally, addressing the shift in incentives and motivation from college being a way to educate versus a "key" to success and wealth through higher-paying jobs.
ReplyDeleteThe language that is used to describe college plays a distinct role in the way it is perceived by the public. If college was described as a money pit that will most likely lead to loans and student debt with no guarantee of a stable job versus an opportunity to expand one's understanding of his/her surroundings and foster a desire for learning and exploration that will last a lifetime. One's memory of college may have also been shaped by the language used at the time at which it was presented. Discussing the interconnectivity between the two would allow for the "to what extent" to be addressed, as their effects on distorting beliefs would be more holistically evaluated. Lastly, memory and language are fluid, always changing and relative, meaning that wether or not college is a good investment will be subject to the individual.
To answer this question it is important to understand how the two different generations value the importance of colleges and universities.
ReplyDeleteThe older generation has lived in an era dealing with more economic issues, less technology, and average amount of education. These factors all led to the public having more jobs as a part of the working class which did not require much specialization. Some of the jobs were also skill-based where the laborer learned how to preform his or her job from experience. These factors all influence how the older generation does not find colleges or universities a necessity. This view combined with the high tuitions lessened the importance of higher education for older people.
On the other hand, the new generation has been developed in an era surrounded by various technologies, and constant discoveries streaming in the online world. Education has also made its way to the top of political and social agendas around the world, making education crucially important to the current generation. There is also a competition for higher education, which is thought to guarantee a better job in the twenty first century. All these factors combined, has enabled the new generation to take a completely new perspective on the idea of education. This perspective sees collages and universities as a MUST and an investment for the future, making the new generation think of the tuition for college as a normal cost that everyone has to pay in order to live comfortably.