Reply to Ross on "common folks"

Hi Ross.  Frankly, I think all people are "common folk" - no matter what education they have.  Education can improve knowledge, skills, and critical thinking abilities - that is why businesses reward degrees; it is not just the fancy piece of paper.  I hope to nudge my own reading, writing, thinking and hard skills (eg math), a little further down the road by taking classes.  But!!!!  I have learned countless important lessons from people who have never set foot in college.  One of the most articulate and literate people I know has never been to college.  Though, as a single mom, she paid for both her daughters' educations because she sees the value and advantage that a degree brings them.  I know that some people who never go to college begin the game far ahead of me, can dance circles around me intellectually, and that I will never catch them.  (I also know some people with PhDs that sometimes amaze me - not in a good way.  lol.)  Still, I am only the captain of my ship, and I see my job as navigating that tug as best I can.

 

On a humorous note, I can't resist appending this:  Dan Cole hosts a show on KFAN called the "Common Man Progrum (sic)."  At the beginning of the show, he plays a classic clip from Paul Harvey about the common man.  Dan does this to mock himself.  It's pretty funny.  (Also worth noting, that Cole is actually "uncommon" when it comes to sports radio hosts.)   Any way, the text of Paul Harvey's clip, embedded in a short, but interesting, blog piece on our schools can be found here:  (the actual audio clip is much better, but you'd probably have to listen to KFAN to hear that)   http://doneasasociety.blogspot.com/2005/01/americas-biggest-educational-challenge.html 

This blog piece is a short rant about the tension and disconnection between our schools and competition, work, reality and what it means to be common.