Philosophy Rated As One of the Top Majors to Avoid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some holdouts who believe a college education is the beginning and not the end of education. Philosophy, classics, English, are all great springboards. You can take a post graduate pre-med course or minor in the pre med requirements, or go to law school. Or, go into a business field entry level followed by an MBA.

To some, going to college for a trade devalues the college experience. Just saying, as they say.

You can include me as one of those holdouts who believes a college education is the beginning and not the end of education. However, I am also aware that unless one is cognizant of the changing demands within today's marketplace a person can have a college degree that provided a great education but is worthless in the context of what is sought by today's employers.

Agree, PP. I think people are in serious denial.

Frankly, those who insist on what worked in years gone by risk being dinosaurs in the current job market. Things are changing so fast in different fields that those who want to remain employable in today's job market need to be constantly aware of the changes and how things are evolving. Today's economy is far too dynamic to assume that something that worked a few years ago will remain viable.

The greatest disservice one can do to someone headed to college is to encourage them to follow their passion without considering whether the resultant degree will help them find a job. Blame greedy corporations, reliance on outsourcing, cheap labor from India & China, to your hearts content, but it does not change the reality of what is happening today. What is happening to many white collar jobs today is what happened to factory jobs three decades ago. One must adapt or cease to be of value to many employers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And I'm laughing at any discussion of law school. Sorry, that's not a wise route for most people these days.

Not everyone is interested in STEM nor good at it.

is STEM the only alternative to law?

Or are you implying that so-called "prestigious" graduate work is the only way to a fulfilling and reasonably-paying career and job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A good philosophy grad would seem well suited for any number of entry level knowledge work jobs. I can't see why philosophy would be any worse than any other liberal arts major, or majors like sociology etc.

Agreed. There is something to be said about education for education's sake. After all college is about education, not training, although some here struggle with that concept.

When one is spending upwards of $200K on an undergraduate degree, count me in among those who struggle with the concept of education for education's sake. In fact, count me in among those who think it is sheer lunacy to incur that sort of expenditure to earn a college degree and to be oblivious of the whether one will get a job thereafter.

College is not trade school.

[Anonymous]

No, but students can't pretend to be Thurman Witherspoon IV, giving nary a thought to the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some holdouts who believe a college education is the beginning and not the end of education. Philosophy, classics, English, are all great springboards. You can take a post graduate pre-med course or minor in the pre med requirements, or go to law school. Or, go into a business field entry level followed by an MBA.

To some, going to college for a trade devalues the college experience. Just saying, as they say.

You can include me as one of those holdouts who believes a college education is the beginning and not the end of education. However, I am also aware that unless one is cognizant of the changing demands within today's marketplace a person can have a college degree that provided a great education but is worthless in the context of what is sought by today's employers.

Agree, PP. I think people are in serious denial.

Frankly, those who insist on what worked in years gone by risk being dinosaurs in the current job market. Things are changing so fast in different fields that those who want to remain employable in today's job market need to be constantly aware of the changes and how things are evolving. Today's economy is far too dynamic to assume that something that worked a few years ago will remain viable.

The greatest disservice one can do to someone headed to college is to encourage them to follow their passion without considering whether the resultant degree will help them find a job. Blame greedy corporations, reliance on outsourcing, cheap labor from India & China, to your hearts content, but it does not change the reality of what is happening today. What is happening to many white collar jobs today is what happened to factory jobs three decades ago. One must adapt or cease to be of value to many employers.

This has to be a joke. The very hypothesis it tries to advance undermines itself. If things are changing so fast, majors that are leading to good jobs today might not in a few years. Indeed, it might be the philosophically-trained thinkers that are more valuable in a future economy when all the STEM jobs are handled by machines.

Plenty of people "follow their passion" without concern for a job and end up successful. In fact some of the greatest inventions of all time were born out of such people. There will always be a place and a need for the thinkers, the dreamers, and the passionate.

Incidentally, the failure to operate with proper ethics, a sub-discipline of philosophy, has cost many a corporation billions. Maybe we need more philosophy majors, not fewer.

[Anonymous]

Frankly, those who insist on what worked in years gone by risk being dinosaurs in the current job market. Things are changing so fast in different fields that those who want to remain employable in today's job market need to be constantly aware of the changes and how things are evolving. Today's economy is far too dynamic to assume that something that worked a few years ago will remain viable.

The greatest disservice one can do to someone headed to college is to encourage them to follow their passion without considering whether the resultant degree will help them find a job. Blame greedy corporations, reliance on outsourcing, cheap labor from India & China, to your hearts content, but it does not change the reality of what is happening today. What is happening to many white collar jobs today is what happened to factory jobs three decades ago. One must adapt or cease to be of value to many employers.

This is an argument for not doing any particular vocational training in college, but rather getting a rigorous education that teaches you how to write, think critically, be mentally flexible, solve problems, and evaluate information. Which can happen in a physics program or a philosophy program. If the job market is changing so rapidly, then choosing a vocational skill in college would be silly, because by the time you enter the job market, that vocation may or may not be around.

[Anonymous]

I know someone who got a job at Morgan Stanley after graduating with a degree in philosophy. He is doing VERY well at the firm with just an undergrad. degree and has been there for years now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some holdouts who believe a college education is the beginning and not the end of education. Philosophy, classics, English, are all great springboards. You can take a post graduate pre-med course or minor in the pre med requirements, or go to law school. Or, go into a business field entry level followed by an MBA.

To some, going to college for a trade devalues the college experience. Just saying, as they say.

You can include me as one of those holdouts who believes a college education is the beginning and not the end of education. However, I am also aware that unless one is cognizant of the changing demands within today's marketplace a person can have a college degree that provided a great education but is worthless in the context of what is sought by today's employers.

Agree, PP. I think people are in serious denial.

Frankly, those who insist on what worked in years gone by risk being dinosaurs in the current job market. Things are changing so fast in different fields that those who want to remain employable in today's job market need to be constantly aware of the changes and how things are evolving. Today's economy is far too dynamic to assume that something that worked a few years ago will remain viable.

The greatest disservice one can do to someone headed to college is to encourage them to follow their passion without considering whether the resultant degree will help them find a job. Blame greedy corporations, reliance on outsourcing, cheap labor from India & China, to your hearts content, but it does not change the reality of what is happening today. What is happening to many white collar jobs today is what happened to factory jobs three decades ago. One must adapt or cease to be of value to many employers.

This has to be a joke. The very hypothesis it tries to advance undermines itself. If things are changing so fast, majors that are leading to good jobs today might not in a few years. Indeed, it might be the philosophically-trained thinkers that are more valuable in a future economy when all the STEM jobs are handled by machines.

Plenty of people "follow their passion" without concern for a job and end up successful. In fact some of the greatest inventions of all time were born out of such people. There will always be a place and a need for the thinkers, the dreamers, and the passionate.

Incidentally, the failure to operate with proper ethics, a sub-discipline of philosophy, has cost many a corporation billions. Maybe we need more philosophy majors, not fewer.

+1 I think it's actually far more likely that the STEM jobs will be outsourced. But they'll still need people to write well, articulate ideas, et cetera.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are some holdouts who believe a college education is the beginning and not the end of education. Philosophy, classics, English, are all great springboards. You can take a post graduate pre-med course or minor in the pre med requirements, or go to law school. Or, go into a business field entry level followed by an MBA.

To some, going to college for a trade devalues the college experience. Just saying, as they say.

I think this depends on the price. For $50k, sure, it is a great spring board. For $200k? I think its most like an anchor chain around your neck. Thinking of the value of something independent of the price is not very practical.

[Anonymous]

If you want to learn how to think, major in physics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know someone who got a job at Morgan Stanley after graduating with a degree in philosophy. He is doing VERY well at the firm with just an undergrad. degree and has been there for years now.

what year? Ivy grad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Frankly, those who insist on what worked in years gone by risk being dinosaurs in the current job market. Things are changing so fast in different fields that those who want to remain employable in today's job market need to be constantly aware of the changes and how things are evolving. Today's economy is far too dynamic to assume that something that worked a few years ago will remain viable.

The greatest disservice one can do to someone headed to college is to encourage them to follow their passion without considering whether the resultant degree will help them find a job. Blame greedy corporations, reliance on outsourcing, cheap labor from India & China, to your hearts content, but it does not change the reality of what is happening today. What is happening to many white collar jobs today is what happened to factory jobs three decades ago. One must adapt or cease to be of value to many employers.

This is an argument for not doing any particular vocational training in college, but rather getting a rigorous education that teaches you how to write, think critically, be mentally flexible, solve problems, and evaluate information. Which can happen in a physics program or a philosophy program. If the job market is changing so rapidly, then choosing a vocational skill in college would be silly, because by the time you enter the job market, that vocation may or may not be around.

EXACTLY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some holdouts who believe a college education is the beginning and not the end of education. Philosophy, classics, English, are all great springboards. You can take a post graduate pre-med course or minor in the pre med requirements, or go to law school. Or, go into a business field entry level followed by an MBA.

To some, going to college for a trade devalues the college experience. Just saying, as they say.

You can include me as one of those holdouts who believes a college education is the beginning and not the end of education. However, I am also aware that unless one is cognizant of the changing demands within today's marketplace a person can have a college degree that provided a great education but is worthless in the context of what is sought by today's employers.

Agree, PP. I think people are in serious denial.

Frankly, those who insist on what worked in years gone by risk being dinosaurs in the current job market. Things are changing so fast in different fields that those who want to remain employable in today's job market need to be constantly aware of the changes and how things are evolving. Today's economy is far too dynamic to assume that something that worked a few years ago will remain viable.

The greatest disservice one can do to someone headed to college is to encourage them to follow their passion without considering whether the resultant degree will help them find a job. Blame greedy corporations, reliance on outsourcing, cheap labor from India & China, to your hearts content, but it does not change the reality of what is happening today. What is happening to many white collar jobs today is what happened to factory jobs three decades ago. One must adapt or cease to be of value to many employers.

This has to be a joke. The very hypothesis it tries to advance undermines itself. If things are changing so fast, majors that are leading to good jobs today might not in a few years. Indeed, it might be the philosophically-trained thinkers that are more valuable in a future economy when all the STEM jobs are handled by machines.

Plenty of people "follow their passion" without concern for a job and end up successful. In fact some of the greatest inventions of all time were born out of such people. There will always be a place and a need for the thinkers, the dreamers, and the passionate.

Incidentally, the failure to operate with proper ethics, a sub-discipline of philosophy, has cost many a corporation billions. Maybe we need more philosophy majors, not fewer.

+1 I think it's actually far more likely that the STEM jobs will be outsourced. But they'll still need people to write well, articulate ideas, et cetera.

This is what I think, too. Any job that requires top-notch writing (in English) is staying right here in the US of A.

[Anonymous]

A philosophy major as being the career path for the future?

I guess this is a case of the delusional leading the more delusional! Do you guys have a clue as to what it means to work in a corporate environment and deal with real life business challenges?

Hint: Kant will be no help!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
This is what I think, too. Any job that requires top-notch writing (in English) is staying right here in the US of A.

And how many jobs are there that require top-notch writing in English?