Education is a commodity

[dezoel]

These days getting a college degree doesn't guarantee that you'd get a high paying job. You could get a job that would help you pay the bills, but for many people it is not enough for most of life's wants.

That said, there is nothing wrong in acquiring knowledge in order to use it to earn a living. If you do not acquire the knowledge to a satisfactory level/degree, then you wouldn't even be able to harness its benefits. But as long as you have put in the work to get the knowledge, then you can go ahead and start earning through it, and i don't care if that was the idea you had from the beginning. What's so wrong in that?

We might not get a high paying job but any job which gives us a steady income every month can be really supportive as we can at least manage and pay our monthly bills. We still can manage to up-skill and keep learning along with our current job so we can get better opportunities in the future or we can even start a side hustle to earn extra income. These jobs can be secured easily with the university degree so I think that is much important somewhere in at least getting the job.

We always have the internet on our side after we complete our university degree and can start learning new technologies which can make us way better at the job and can even give us more opportunities in the future.

[Gentle_Soul]

Education yes can be seen or regarded as a precious commodity in some parts pof the world especially in parts of Africa. It's a good thing to get quality and good education but my question is what if it's not accessible? What if it becomes too costly for the common man, what if it is regarded as a dream to achieving success for the common and after the tursel it does not turn out as expected . What is the future of the common man after acquiring the necessary education and is not able to utilize the reward for the hustle through the process of education

[free-bit.co.in]

Yes, that's true, but I don't agree that education is the path to success, the real output is education to have a better life than before, because not everyone can be successful even through education (although the sentence success has subjectivity in its perspective).

Education is important but does not guarantee success, success has many factors to achieve it.

I say that education is the only way to success, I do not say that education will guarantee our success. I think these two things are different.

As I said, education is not just in school, any lesson, experience or skill we get anywhere is education. So what is wrong with saying that education is the only path to success? I have yet to see anyone who can be rich and successful without being literate, without knowing how to calculate and without any skills.

As for how to be successful, I think that is another topic because it is a combination of many factors, education alone is not enough.

[7juju]

A degree is just a degree, and it doesn't guarantee a decent job. And a degree doesn't even indicate a person's quality. I see many of my friends who earned degrees not through their own efforts, but simply paid someone to help them complete their final assignments.

And I actually find it quite strange that some people send their children to college, hoping for a decent job. What I mean is, this is a misconception, does college mean work? Because the world of work isn't like the world of education, even though knowledge is essential in the workplace.

Parents who have such notions are not wrong and they do not deserve to be blamed. Because look at the reality of life, how many people without degrees, without proper education are working in big companies with high income? How many people become rich and successful without a degree?

If you haven't seen people who became rich and successful, I have seen so many of them in my country. That their names are not listed in Forbes doesn't mean they they are not rich and established. Some of these people have mansions and anything that educated rich people have. Working in big companies is not the only way of making money hope you know that. Don't underestimate the power of running a private business. I know many wealthy people who went to school after making their wealth.

It can be seen that most of the people who live prosperous and wealthy lives have high education and degrees. Only a few people without degrees and education succeed.

This is a lie, it was in the 50s, 60s to around early 90s that this was valid. In today's world the narrative have changed. Those that went to school and those that don't higher degrees are all living good lives and making good money. Degree or no degree in today's world you will make it. If you don't have degree, have a skill that is viable or established a business and you will make money. It was before that people were underestimating having a skill but today skills are paying more than degrees.

[EarnOnVictor]

If you are wealthy you can study and even though now education has become more accessible the truth is still only the wealthy can get highest quality of education.
For example, Harvard. Someone from harvard would be idolized and thought of someone who is intelligent and probably has a lot of connections. Harvard sells. When you get into these prestigious schools, more than education, you are also paying for the name of the school.

I wouldn't view prestigious schools, especially Harvard the way you painted it, though you are right about the easy affordability, not everyone could afford it. But at the same time, Harvard standards are there, which they maintained and which keeps them at the prestigious front line. This standard is what the people who can afford it buy. But still, they must be outstanding, isn't it? That is where money could be useless here.

To avoid doubts and to buttress why I mentioned standard instead of money, a lot of less privileged people attend Harvard as well. There are yearly scholarships programs, and 100% of the people I know in person that went to that school might not be able to afford it. But for their exemplary abilities.

[Lanatsa]

If you are wealthy you can study and even though now education has become more accessible the truth is still only the wealthy can get highest quality of education.
For example, Harvard. Someone from harvard would be idolized and thought of someone who is intelligent and probably has a lot of connections. Harvard sells. When you get into these prestigious schools, more than education, you are also paying for the name of the school.

I wouldn't view prestigious schools, especially Harvard the way you painted it, though you are right about the easy affordability, not everyone could afford it. But at the same time, Harvard standards are there, which they maintained and which keeps them at the prestigious front line. This standard is what the people who can afford it buy. But still, they must be outstanding, isn't it? That is where money could be useless here.

To avoid doubts and to buttress why I mentioned standard instead of money, a lot of less privileged people attend Harvard as well. There are yearly scholarships programs, and 100% of the people I know in person that went to that school might not be able to afford it. But for their exemplary abilities.

The prestige of a place like harvard isn’t only about money but also about the standards they uphold money might open the door a little wider but it’s talent skill and excellence that actually keep you inside those walls people forget that schools like this have rigorous admissions processes and they’re designed to filter for ability not just wealth.

It’s also important to note that harvard and similar universities offer huge scholarships and financial aid to deserving students who can’t afford the tuition so while the wealthy may have an easier path many students there are from modest backgrounds but earned their place through merit. What the wealthy really buy is access and network the connections that come from such institutions can carry as much weight as the degree itself but the real value still lies in what you learn and how you use it outside those gates plenty of successful people never went to harvard but those who do usually prove that it’s not only money that got them there it’s also hard work and ability.

[Minor Miner]

A degree is just a degree, and it doesn't guarantee a decent job. And a degree doesn't even indicate a person's quality. I see many of my friends who earned degrees not through their own efforts, but simply paid someone to help them complete their final assignments.

And I actually find it quite strange that some people send their children to college, hoping for a decent job. What I mean is, this is a misconception, does college mean work? Because the world of work isn't like the world of education, even though knowledge is essential in the workplace.

Parents who have such notions are not wrong and they do not deserve to be blamed. Because look at the reality of life, how many people without degrees, without proper education are working in big companies with high income? How many people become rich and successful without a degree?

If you haven't seen people who became rich and successful, I have seen so many of them in my country. That their names are not listed in Forbes doesn't mean they they are not rich and established. Some of these people have mansions and anything that educated rich people have. Working in big companies is not the only way of making money hope you know that. Don't underestimate the power of running a private business. I know many wealthy people who went to school after making their wealth.

It can be seen that most of the people who live prosperous and wealthy lives have high education and degrees. Only a few people without degrees and education succeed.

This is a lie, it was in the 50s, 60s to around early 90s that this was valid. In today's world the narrative have changed. Those that went to school and those that don't higher degrees are all living good lives and making good money. Degree or no degree in today's world you will make it. If you don't have degree, have a skill that is viable or established a business and you will make money. It was before that people were underestimating having a skill but today skills are paying more than degrees.

I'm not saying that people without degrees will never become rich and successful. Because college and degrees aren't the only path to wealth and success, and they don't guarantee anything.

My question is out of the millions of rich people in your country, how many of them have no education and no degrees? For example, out of 1 million rich people, what percentage are people without degrees? Or in your country, what percentage of unemployed and low income people have no education and degrees?

Because from what I see in my country, the rich and successful people are mostly highly educated and have degrees. The wealthy without degrees make up a very small percentage of that group. And the group of people without degrees for a very high proportion of the unemployed and low income group.

[Hanadawa]

This is a lie, it was in the 50s, 60s to around early 90s that this was valid. In today's world the narrative have changed. Those that went to school and those that don't higher degrees are all living good lives and making good money. Degree or no degree in today's world you will make it. If you don't have degree, have a skill that is viable or established a business and you will make money. It was before that people were underestimating having a skill but today skills are paying more than degrees.

In the past, people with higher education had access to expanding networks and access to knowledge that not everyone had. But today, with the advent of social media, everyone has equal access to the world. These days, those who succeed aren't those with higher education. Rather, those who successfully build networks and have a strong personal brand will succeed. And don't forget skills. Today, everyone has access to hone their skills. I've encountered many people with excellent skills who started out learning from YouTube or TikTok. Nowadays, anyone who can focus on one skill until it becomes an expert has a greater chance of success.

[Dogedegen]

Graduates there are far superior and may affect their chances of finding employment. Generally, children who graduate from schools with good reputations usually have an easier time finding work.

They are not superior, they are often very unskilled dumb people who get jobs due to the reputation of the university and connections.. Don't seriously tell me that you believe that children from rich people are on average smart or skilled? It is true that they have an easy time for finding employment but that has nothing to do with their own skills.

Schools that require high fees are certainly of different quality than free, government-subsidized schools because the teacher resources there are also different.

Not true, often those schools are of lower quality and much easier to graduate even if they have a good reputation.

Gone are the days when money was not a priority. Everyone could provide the basic things of life without breaking much of sweat, politicians where not as greedy as they were wherein we had leaders rather than political men.

You mean the good old days when you lived in a small wooden shack, didn't have sewage, water or electricity or the days when you were practically a slave and most of your harvest or work went to your lord or king? Yes, those were much better days indeed! You got everything without any sweat. 

I say that education is the only way to success, I do not say that education will guarantee our success. I think these two things are different.

No that is definitely not true. Many successful business owners don't have any real education. Don't look at western billionaires to draw a conclusion. Most successful business owners are millionaires and they have definitely achieved more than the people with degrees working for them. It would be maybe more correct to say that for the average person education provides a much higher probability of achieving some succeed than not taking any education at all. That is definitely true and the data on this topic confirms it.

[neshham]

Education today is often seen more as an investment than a pursuit of knowledge. The prestige of a school like Harvard, for example, goes beyond the quality of education. It’s about the connections, the status, and the doors it opens.

While education is supposed to be a right for everyone, the reality is that those with wealth can access the best opportunities, and often, it’s not just about learning but securing a future with a high return on investment. It’s a system built on profit, where success is measured by the salary you can earn, rather than the knowledge you gain. It’s hard to find people who just want to learn for the sake of learning when the pressure to succeed financially is so overwhelming.

[Cheema02]

Education is now accessible everywhere and without limits, and it's truly affordable. The example you mentioned is more like "the education brand is a commodity." While educational institutions do have a market, human motivations are far more diverse than mere economic considerations. In fact, humanities majors (art, literature, philosophy, etc.) are still full and, in fact, continue to thrive at top universities.

Your point is perfect that now education is very easily available every where in every corner of the world as we compared it to Nineties era in which education is much more complex and not easily available and students put some extra efforts to mantain their education. But now the people mindset is completely changed and they don't want to study to secure a job seat but they have different opinions about study, Some people thoaught that education al institutes are scammer and they'll only focused on getting money not on students future and personality. But now some people are live that have emitions to represent there culture and focused on humanities field like literature , history, art and they choose this field just for there peace of mind and  they not interested in financial fields. Some people have different opinions about education and some tease it to jeep study And some people loves to study as they choose study as there interset.

[redhack]

The education system is supposedly free, but despite spending serious public resources, it doesn't provide adequate education. People no longer trust public schools. Those who can afford it send their children to private schools, but even there, the quality has declined. State schools used to be somewhat better, but the current situation is truly terrible. Teacher quality is inadequate and the curriculum is flawed. The government is trying to impose its own ideas on children. Wrong things are being taught in schools. This is affecting the future of a generation. If you want to control people, design the media and the education system. This is what is happening in Türkiye right now.

[lornadane]

Education is marketed like a product now. Access improved, yes—but top-tier quality still favors the wealthy. Prestigious schools don’t just sell knowledge, they sell brand + signaling + network. That’s why names matter more than syllabus in many cases.
Most students aren’t chasing learning for learning’s sake. They’re chasing ROI. Degree = ticket to better pay, not wisdom. Can’t really blame them when costs are high and survival depends on income.

[Unknown Op]

Education is marketed like a product now. Access improved, yes—but top-tier quality still favors the wealthy. Prestigious schools don’t just sell knowledge, they sell brand + signaling + network. That’s why names matter more than syllabus in many cases.
Most students aren’t chasing learning for learning’s sake. They’re chasing ROI. Degree = ticket to better pay, not wisdom. Can’t really blame them when costs are high and survival depends on income.

I think education is important if you want to be a person of wisdom because you will learn more things from life And you will invest more and more time with intelligent people who will be successful in the future and you will be also rich people of your town because you will do your research in your field and there will be more chances of your success in the respective field.  But you should take practical knowledge if you can take because you will do the work with the degree. But degree is important in life either you want to be a job holder of businessman because you have to take knowledge of practical things. Male and female both should take knowledge of practical things.

[silpersurfer]

To my mind, everyone gets a chance to pursue what he wants. People should have the opportunity to attain quality higher education. It cannot be denied that the rich have an easy way but to use poverty as the only excuse for not trying is mere resignation plus laziness. At present, there are wide opened scholarship opportunities from government, private, and international institutions.

If people genuinely wish to study and attain better education, they can practically do so by applying for a scholarship, conducting studies on their own, or taking advantage of free learning materials which are now made abundantly available. Education is viewed as a means of investment for future income; however, in the end, results rely heavily on the individual’s personal will and effort. The opportunities are available; it depends on who wants to fight for them.

[gibrab16]

Yeah money does make the path smoother no one’s denying that But acting like poverty is an automatic game over is just giving up early In 2025 info is everywhere Scholarships grants online courses free PDFs YouTube unis open source degrees the doors aren’t closed people just don’t always want to push them

Not everyone starts at the same checkpoint that’s real But effort still matters You don’t need to be rich to apply for scholarships learn skills online or build knowledge on your own A lot of people would rather doom scroll and complain than actually grind applications or study consistently

[Hispo]

...

Everything now is done with the purpose of making more money in the future. Are there people who go to school just simply wanting to learn? No. Most of the time, students consider the profit they will be making and the job they can get with the degrees they will get.

I mean... Education has always been seen as an investment. Even parents when send their children to school, they are going it because it is the best they can do for the economical future of them, children do not actually want to spend all their morning studying, they would rather to play with friends, eat candy and not to do much in their day. But parents do not allow children to take that choice by themselves, so they send children out to their school to learn.
In the end, because of the economical status and chances those children get as adults, they thank their parents for sending them to school from the very beginning.

[Cgrexp]

Nowadays, those who are rich or wealthy get the opportunity to study in good schools or universities whereas a child from a lower or middle class family does not get the opportunity to study in good schools because the fees of most of the prestigious schools are kept very high. And most people when they hear of a person studying in a good school or university, they naturally assume that he is better in education than the rest of the students. Education is like an investment nowadays because people spend money and after studying they think about how they will earn and most people's main goal is how they can earn money.

[WatChe]

I mean... Education has always been seen as an investment. Even parents when send their children to school, they are going it because it is the best they can do for the economical future of them, children do not actually want to spend all their morning studying, they would rather to play with friends, eat candy and not to do much in their day. But parents do not allow children to take that choice by themselves, so they send children out to their school to learn.
In the end, because of the economical status and chances those children get as adults, they thank their parents for sending them to school from the very beginning.

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy". As a parent it's important to balance out time for study and fun. I am a father and I make sure that my kids get sufficient time to play and enjoy their life. Every parent sends there kids to best school according to there financial status that's because a child can't get success in life if he is not properly educated. There are exceptions but they are very few. In 21st century, new technologies emerge every year and our kids must be educated in way that they can adapt these new emerging technologies.

[Yeesha]

Education is considered a right of every citizen. But has education ever been accessible? Back then only the elite was able to study. Only a few have been able to read and be considered educated. If you are wealthy you can study and even though now education has become more accessible the truth is still only the wealthy can get highest quality of education. But now schools are selling education. They are promoting the culture and prestige of their schools.

Because the truth is there usually are generalizations when it comes to these prestigious schools. For example, Harvard. Someone from harvard would be idolized and thought of someone who is intelligent and probably has a lot of connections. Harvard sells. When you get into these prestigious schools, more than education, you are also paying for the name of the school. But why are we paying for education? To make more money. Education is an investment wherein we expect huge returns after graduation.

Everything now is done with the purpose of making more money in the future. Are there people who go to school just simply wanting to learn? No. Most of the time, students consider the profit they will be making and the job they can get with the degrees they will get.

It is the right of every child to aquire better education, and it is actually very important and essential for the government to make it easily accessible and affordable.

But today, a lot of children are lacking access to quality education due to the fact that it is too expensive and their parents can't afford it.

 Let even put that aside, even the children that their parents are working so hard in order to enroll them in school are also lacking access to good and quality education. The word is becoming something else, and a lots of improvement need to be made.

The educational system is lacking a lot of equipments and learning materials that can enhance and promote a better, strong and effective education.