The Importance of Education

Recently, manosphere writer Matt Forney released an article on Return of Kings giving reasons why men should not attend college. He states that college is an expensive waste of time, and that young men will be bombarded by feminism and blamed for all of the ills in society. I agree that college is a business these days, and like all businesses, the primary objective is for universities to make money, not necessarily train the best and the brightest that our generation has to offer. I also agree that young men are subjected to feminism day-in and day-out from kindergarten to twelfth, and it does not end in college. To top things off, if you are a Black man and aren't going to an HBCU, you can expect to catch hell for being a man and if there is a conservative backlash, don't think that they're going to have your interests in mind, as you will likely be labeled as a liberal that only got in because of affirmative action (you probably won't do too well with the ladies either unless you are an athlete).

All of that being said, I still cannot say that I am against education. Education is vital to success, but college is not necessarily the right path of education for everyone. There are alternatives such as trades, mentors, and good old fashioned experience.

Throughout my formative years, teachers as well as my parents would tell me about the importance of getting a college education. By the time I got to college, I thought that I would learn everything that I needed to in order to be successful in life, and I thought that getting my degree would open doors to guaranteed and lucrative employment. I am here to tell you that I thought wrong. I have never once worked a "real job" using what I have learned in college, and the freelance gigs that I have done that would fall under the subject of my major were all completed with skills learned on my own.

Now, do I regret going to college and earning my bachelor's degree? Absolutely not. It is something to put down on a resume, and looks great when you want to work for other people. More importantly for me, it, along with a TEFL certificate (and I suppose being lucky enough to have been born and raised in one of the “Big Five” English-speaking countries), has been a ticket for me to teach English overseas. My regrets revolve around being stagnant and thinking that a degree would be my ticket to financial security.

Should you decide to go to college, I urge you to study your subject thoroughly outside of the confines of the classroom. Your assignments are great for learning the basics of your subject, but if you want to dig deep, you are going to have to do the hard work yourself. Look up resources online or spend time at the library studying your craft. Talk to experienced people in your major, or even your professors as they may be able to provide you with additional information. Being the shy introvert that I was in college, I would spend all of my time alone doing enough to pass my core classes (with A's), but would not do much beyond that to truly learn or communicate ideas with others. Even if you decide not to go to college, this is a great way to learn, and I find myself studying more now, even after I have graduated than I did when I was enrolled at the university.

I might also add that you should try to be well-rounded, or at least capable of socializing. Learn a few things outside of your major, even if it's just picking apart the arguments of all of the feminists in those multicultural language arts classes that they force you to take, even though you're going to be a super-duper code monkey. This may sound contradictory, but you should also keep in mind that while wanting to get laid is perfectly natural and healthy, despite what some of your professors or some social clubs on campus may try to tell you, remember that your objective is to learn, get your degree, and get out as soon as possible so that you do not waste time or rack up a huge debt.

The conclusion that I have come to is that learning is indeed a lifelong endeavor. It does not stop after high school or college, and it does not exist only within the confines of traditional academia. No matter what path you choose, you are always going to have to study and practice in order to stay on top of the game; this goes back to what I said about “always beplayin'”. Utilize any resources or connections that you may have in order to perfect your craft and learn new things. This is the reality behind the importance of education.