just remember, i'm smarter than you...

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

"Knowing trivial information doesn't make me smarter than you, being smarter than you makes me smarter than you..."-JGO

while that statement sounds pompous, it was said today in retort. someone looks at me and says, "just remember, i'm smarter than you, i'm getting my masters and you just know useless trivial information," and it requires some kind of response.

while i know it was said in jest, or that person is a serious jerk (which i doubt), it still invokes some thought. i'm not a rocket surgeon, if i was i'd have "big, sexy tires" on my jeep, but i'd like to think of myself as kind of a brainy person, no more than what i would consider average, but at least that, and what do i have to show for it? a decent job and trivia...shouldn't i have a degree or something.
and, i have to ask, just how much of that degree falls squarely under the realm of trivia?
consider most core curriculum, psych, soc., humanity, art history and appreciation, public speaking...basic computer classes can be mastered by 12-year-olds, advanced math is all well and good, but how often does a lawyer have to do with a co-tangent or a logrithm? in fact, i put it to you that anything that doesn't apply directly to what you will actually do with that degree is trivial. a nurse should study anatomy and physiology, maybe not hamlet (though it would be a shame), an engineer-advanced math and career specifics (mechanical, electrical, computer, etc.), who cares if he's a good public speaker?

all this and the masters degree this person accosted me with was what? "philosophy and religion". a degree in what? i'm sorry, that's a masters in nothing! a masters in "what if's" and "who said what's." if offers no tangible skills sets or mastery, all you could possibly do with it is teach, which is fine but you're not a teacher.

i'm a big fan of personal enrichment which is self-motivated study to expand you knowledge and perception, but if that knowledge is purely thought provoking and provides nothing but provoking thought, eternal significance aside, it's nothing more than interesting, conversation starting trivia.

enjoy your eight years of college and student loans. i'm getting it for free. now who's smarter?

have a nice day.