Hard Work and Happiness
In the past, it seems as though all that was wanted out of going to college was simply to leave with more knowledge. In present times, it seems as though all that is wanted out of going to college is to make more money. But how does a selected major play into all of this? Do the lives of word-oriented majors turn out to be more satisfying than the lives of vocational majors?
Camille Paglia believes that a “personally fulfilling career” cannot be obtained from a general college education, that college only helps people get unsatisfying high paying jobs. I highly disagree. Vocational majors are required to take general education classes, “exposing them to the sciences, social sciences, and humanities” (Bok). Also, the majority of universities require some sort of health course, which will talk about mental wellness and how a person’s happiness plays into that. Along with health, many universities offer elective courses on happiness and meaningful life. In my opinion, classes of this nature will surely sway students only seeking high paying jobs to look into jobs that have a place for the skills they enjoy.
A list composed of the most satisfying jobs shows no connection to income. The jobs range from clergy to engineer and lots in between. It seems as though, people with careers helping others are the most satisfied, be it a vocational job or a highly regarded social figure in society.
The vast development of charity, nonprofit, and other organizations of that nature, seems to prove that no amount of education can make helping others any less satisfying. People with highly regarded degrees, such as medicine and law, are volunteering their time. They have spent thousands of dollars and several years on their education, yet do not take a monetary payment for the work they do. They only need the thanks and gratefulness of other to make themselves feel good.
No matter the steps taken to prevent it, the majority of society will always be in search of a way to get more money without realizing that the money will only satisfy them for a short period of time. To truly be satisfied, one must feel good about the things they have done, the people they are surrounded by, and the way they conduct their lives. The things you studied in college play only a small role in all of those things. I do not believe that the education a vocational major receives versus the education a word-oriented major receives determines happiness or satisfaction in life.
Works Cited
College and the Well-Lived Life by Derek Bok
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