OT:College Is For Suckers

[spdrun]

^^^

Well said.

[scaredyclassic]

this skill might have been raised to an actual art form by judges and lawyers who want to appear normal “on the record” in the written transcript, but who are conveying utter contempt for the other party, in facially polite language.

actually, i hate being called sir, and can’t recall any time I’ve ever heard it when it was actually employed as a term of respect.

I do really like being called Counselor, though….don’t like mouthpiece, shyster or leech.

[spdrun]

Counselor … *shudder*, reminds me a bit too much of “Cape Fear” where the stalker used that title.

[Reality]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook][quote=flyer]
As the cost of education has increased, the quality has declined. Yes, that’s a broadly sweeping statement, but it’s been largely borne out by experience. I’ve hired college graduates that lack basic written communication skills, not to mention the absence of critical thinking/reasoning capabilities.
[/quote]

Why did you hire them? Seems a thorough interview process should obtain some insight into the critical thinking ability of a candidate if those skills are critical to success in the job.

I wouldn’t fault the quality of the education so much as the willingness of the colleges to graduate those unqualified. Good students can get a great education. Critical thinking and reasoning abilities can be learned to some degree but for the most part you either have them or you don’t.

[zk]

[quote=squat250]this skill might have been raised to an actual art form by judges and lawyers who want to appear normal “on the record” in the written transcript, but who are conveying utter contempt for the other party, in facially polite language.

actually, i hate being called sir, and can’t recall any time I’ve ever heard it when it was actually employed as a term of respect.

I do really like being called Counselor, though….don’t like mouthpiece, shyster or leech.[/quote]

I was in line at Costco and I dropped something. The 30-year old guy in line behind me said, “sir, you dropped your…” I remember thinking, “sir?” Might as well call me “old man.” If I was 30, I doubt he’d have called me sir. He’d probably have called me “dude.” Which I think I’d have preferred, even though I’m 50.

[flyer]

[quote=zk][quote=squat250]this skill might have been raised to an actual art form by judges and lawyers who want to appear normal “on the record” in the written transcript, but who are conveying utter contempt for the other party, in facially polite language.

actually, i hate being called sir, and can’t recall any time I’ve ever heard it when it was actually employed as a term of respect.

I do really like being called Counselor, though….don’t like mouthpiece, shyster or leech.[/quote]

I was in line at Costco and I dropped something. The 30-year old guy in line behind me said, “sir, you dropped your…” I remember thinking, “sir?” Might as well call me “old man.” If I was 30, I doubt he’d have called me sir. He’d probably have called me “dude.” Which I think I’d have preferred, even though I’m 50.[/quote]

Agree with squat on the intention of how someone addresses another person being key. Case in point regarding the “dude” thing. I was flying with a younger co-pilot on an international flight a couple of months ago. He was a great guy, and called me “dude” for the entire flight.

I didn’t have a problem with it, and for what they pay us, I can stand being called “dude,” anytime.

[scaredyclassic]

[quote=spdrun]Counselor … *shudder*, reminds me a bit too much of “Cape Fear” where the stalker used that title.[/quote]

cape fear…ayiyi. i saw that in theatres before i applied to law school. its coming back to me. that will never ever appear on my netflix list.

[scaredyclassic]

maybe we needa new honorific, since sir has been drained of its politeness.

Something translated from Chinese, perhaps.

Or something way oevr the top, that is not subject to a contemptuous tone?

“Most Honorable Descendant of the Godhead Handsome Sir….” soemthing liek that would work.

Peppermint Patty always got called Sir by her sidekick,a nd that seemed to connote respect, or more tot he point, Love. i always had a feeling they were lesbians, even as a young child. I just felt something was up between Marcie and Peppermint Patty. so i just googled peppermint patty lesbian and came up with this…

“It is rumored that Peppermint Patty and Marcie are a lesbian couple. Many people interpret the two as lesbians and this has been reflected in references on television shows such as Family Guy, Robot Chicken and The Simpsons. On The Big Bang Theory, characters Wolowitz and Leonard argue about whether the two friends are lesbians—while Wolowitz thinks that Peppermint Patty is the lesbian, Leonard thinks she is just atheletic and that Marcie is the lesbian.
Charles M. Schulz denied that there was any truth in the rumor, saying that the characters are supposed to be very young children and they both have crushes on Charlie Brown.”

[Allan from Fallbrook]

[quote=flyer]Right, again, Allan. The common courtesy thing seems to have all but disappeared from our society, and, to me, that’s sad. Perhaps people don’t respect others, because they don’t respect themselves??

In addition, I just don’t get where the “attitude thing” comes from in most cases, (if, in fact, people are basing their “attitudes” on finances) when only 5% of the population have over a million in net worth. Very strange.

We’re “old school” and, in most situations, go out of our way to be respectful of others–and it’s a really good feeling. More people should actually give it a try![/quote]

Flyer: I blame advertising for that narcissistic “Look At Me!” attitude that’s so prevalent in the gauche arriviste cohort. I’m with you in that it’s especially found in those that, in actual wealth, have the least. I know a lot of folks who are leveraged to their eyeballs, but will die before giving up the luxury SUV and the designer clothes and the McMansion. Gotta keep up appearances, doncha know. It’s within this same group that you find that snobby, down-the-nose attitude, which I ascribe to insecurity and fear. If you live your life according to what others think of you, well, that’s just sad.

On another, more upbeat, note: I’m noticing a real spirit of volunteerism in the younger generation (kids in their 20s) and I think it’s awesome. Just spoke to someone today who mentioned that her son, a recent engineering school grad, turned down three(!) job offrs to do a six month stint in Haiti working on water engineering projects. That’s good stuff and reminds of the comment a former Jesuit priest/teacher of mine once said: The universe unfolds exactly as it should.

[Allan from Fallbrook]

[quote=zk]

I was in line at Costco and I dropped something. The 30-year old guy in line behind me said, “sir, you dropped your…” I remember thinking, “sir?” Might as well call me “old man.” If I was 30, I doubt he’d have called me sir. He’d probably have called me “dude.” Which I think I’d have preferred, even though I’m 50.[/quote]

zk: Perhaps you cut such an impressive figure, he was simply overawed by your presence and blurted that out from sheer respect?

[flyer]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook][quote=flyer]Right, again, Allan. The common courtesy thing seems to have all but disappeared from our society, and, to me, that’s sad. Perhaps people don’t respect others, because they don’t respect themselves??

In addition, I just don’t get where the “attitude thing” comes from in most cases, (if, in fact, people are basing their “attitudes” on finances) when only 5% of the population have over a million in net worth. Very strange.

We’re “old school” and, in most situations, go out of our way to be respectful of others–and it’s a really good feeling. More people should actually give it a try![/quote]

Flyer: I blame advertising for that narcissistic “Look At Me!” attitude that’s so prevalent in the gauche arriviste cohort. I’m with you in that it’s especially found in those that, in actual wealth, have the least. I know a lot of folks who are leveraged to their eyeballs, but will die before giving up the luxury SUV and the designer clothes and the McMansion. Gotta keep up appearances, doncha know. It’s within this same group that you find that snobby, down-the-nose attitude, which I ascribe to insecurity and fear. If you live your life according to what others think of you, well, that’s just sad.

On another, more upbeat, note: I’m noticing a real spirit of volunteerism in the younger generation (kids in their 20s) and I think it’s awesome. Just spoke to someone today who mentioned that her son, a recent engineering school grad, turned down three(!) job offrs to do a six month stint in Haiti working on water engineering projects. That’s good stuff and reminds of the comment a former Jesuit priest/teacher of mine once said: The universe unfolds exactly as it should.[/quote]

Agree again, Allan, with all of the aforementioned, and the volunteerism boom among the younger set. We just received a Christmas letter from one of our nieces who just completed her PhD at Columbia, and is postponing job offers to become involved in a project in Africa. Good stuff!

[Allan from Fallbrook]

Flyer: I think everything in life is part of a larger cycle and we’re now seeing the pendulum swinging in the opposite direction from self-involved materialism, which is soulless and lacks any sort of spiritual or humanitarian gratification.

I heard someone remark that, “Poor is the new rich”, and that comment really struck me in the sense that more and more people I know are embracing a simpler, smaller lifestyle and forsaking the trappings of consumerism.

[zk]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook][quote=zk]

zk: Perhaps you cut such an impressive figure, he was simply overawed by your presence and blurted that out from sheer respect?[/quote]

I didn’t realize we’d met, Allan.

[Allan from Fallbrook]

[quote=zk][quote=Allan from Fallbrook][quote=zk]

zk: Perhaps you cut such an impressive figure, he was simply overawed by your presence and blurted that out from sheer respect?[/quote]

I didn’t realize we’d met, Allan.[/quote]

Zk: In a spiritual and metaphysical sense, I’m left with a feeling of a towering figure, both in physical stature and pure intellect.

I might also be thinking of Batman…

[flyer]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook]Flyer: I think everything in life is part of a larger cycle and we’re now seeing the pendulum swinging in the opposite direction from self-involved materialism, which is soulless and lacks any sort of spiritual or humanitarian gratification.

I heard someone remark that, “Poor is the new rich”, and that comment really struck me in the sense that more and more people I know are embracing a simpler, smaller lifestyle and forsaking the trappings of consumerism.[/quote]

Allan, “Poor is the new rich,” could certainly be taken to mean many different things of late, but, in the way you intended, I agree, that achieving financial success that is soulless could create a very empty life.

As long as people take responsibility for their lives, and can financially take care of themselves all the way through their retirement years, I’m all for everyone creating whatever lifestyle is most fulfilling to them.

Personally, we’ve always been spiritually-based people, and believe the financial security we enjoy is something we need to get through this life, then pass along, and not an end unto itself.

Our lives have been enriched far beyond financial means via the many philanthropic and creative endeavors we’ve been involved in over the years, and I’m glad to hear more people might be following suit–it’s a very rewarding way to live!

[Author]

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