Cooley, Kiefer: Paglia

Camille Paglia, a noted feminist, writes on the disappearance of jobs in today’s depressed economy in her essay to The Chronicle Review entitled “Revalorizing the Trades.” She notes that “Meaningful employment is no longer guaranteed to dutiful, studious members of the middle class.” Paglia makes several interesting points in her essay. Most notably, she analyzes the education most people in the professional world receive. She also believes that the educational system doesn’t cater to those who work with the environment around them (a.k.a. liberal arts). Paglia also presents an interesting point about how people who went straight into the working world, are already ahead of their peers who continue their education.

Paglia criticizes the education system, stating that it is doing a “poor job of preparing young people for life outside of a narrow band of the professional class.” Scholars in the professional track always are taught how to succeed more so than people with less of a degree than themselves. Imprinted in them is that they make more money and are worth more than others with less experience. Paglia points out that the only differences students have in this path are a more smoother transition into law or medical school. Once in these schools, the students are fashioned after the professors. This model keeps the professional class fairly consistent, and this narrow view is what keeps the status of the professionals above the rest.

Paglia defines the education system as inflexible when it comes to alternative paths. For those seeking degrees in art, culinary, and music, there is no professional degree equivalent to that of a medical doctor. Paglia is thankful that she received her education in liberal arts in the 1960s, a time when that field was viewed as more of a career track. This view comes from our ancestors, whose primary objectives were finding food and shelter. Art was not studied until the basic needs were fulfilled. Today, the arts are considered a waste of time in a world that needs new thinkers and doers. Our economy needs scientists and doctors who can bring something more efficient to our economy. Those interested in arts are left out in the cold today.

Paglia brings up an interesting point. Those who did not pursue a higher education are already out in the work force and are supporting themselves by the time college students are just graduating. She notes this to put an interesting thought into our minds. Why are we pursuing higher education? It certainly is not necessary for survival. Many others are out in the real world before we even leave school. They are often self supporting by the time we receive our degree. Why do we strive for higher education? We do so for one reason and one reason only: to get more money. We are along this path to receive more money. Often people believe they have earned the right to be better than those without a degree, but this is simply absurd. Who are the real achievers? Those who have jobs and making money, or those who owe thousands of dollars in student loans their first day into the real world?

Our education system is narrow when it comes to flexibility. It is geared towards those seeking professional degrees. Blue collar workers have no degree that can help them in their career. This is because the professional community doesn’t want to lose its superiority over those they believe are beneath them. Simply, they want the status quo to remain. When our education system focuses on hands-on-experience for real workers, then maybe they will be treated with the same respect as their professional counterparts.