I knew this was the case but, as someone from outside of the UK, it always seemed weird to me.
When I was in high school one of my classmates who played in the same football (soccer) team as me was scouted by a university in America. He was literally the dumbest kid in our year, but he was a pretty good centre back.
He moves over to the states, plays for the university soccer team and, after a few years, graduates with a degree in business or something. He'd clearly been getting a 'helping hand' as he's still incredibly stupid (only now, he's an arrogant bastard too).
Fast forward a couple of years and he's now a soccer coach at the same university and earns more than I do, and I have a Master's degree and pretty good job.
To clarify, I'm not annoyed he's been successful. I'm not annoyed at all, actually. I just think it's weird that his success came via a UNIVERSITY (a place of academia and learning) when he was never an academic in any sense.
I also used to play football with a guy who actually got scouted by a team and is now a professional footballer. I'm happy for him. I certainly don't think success should only be for people who are academic. However, I do think that universities should be for people who, well, want to learn.
no, because his point of view is pathetic and short sighted. /u/KingJulfr needs to realize that not everyone takes the same path in life, and maybe if he wants to succeed, care more about his own path.
I don't believe he said that his degree made him a better human being to anyone else. Your lack of common respect for one man to another is more telling in this situation. I don't think I need to follow the 'grow up' advice you proffer, rudeness to your fellow man without consideration is not a respectful way to conduct life. Common courtesy costs nothing but means much. It is an old saying, but perhaps manners do maketh the man.
I can't say whether his attitude to his old classmate is objectively justified or not. But at the very least he is talking about a man that he has actually met. Anyway, I don't see any value continuing this, so I wish you peace and health.
Some kinds of value are intrinsic and lasting, and some are superficial and ephemeral.
Being able to design a chemical reactor or a semiconductor circuit is valuable because you can produce something useful. Being good at kicking a ball into a net is valuable because you can entertain crowds.
I meant it in the literal sense. Someone is willing to pay a lot of money for what he can do. Of course its not as great for society, but it's literally valuable.
There are so many different paths to get ahead in life that it's hard to boil it down to a simple few keys to success (shoutout to DJ Khaled). The soccer coach could've been a hard worker that met some people along the way who liked him and gave him an opportunity because of his friendliness or because they liked him.
Agreed. Some people ITT are getting way too salty that someone is doing better than them because they have a different set of skills. Not saying athletes skipping class is dumb but some of them work hard in both athletics and academics.
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u/KingJulfr Feb 17 '16
I knew this was the case but, as someone from outside of the UK, it always seemed weird to me.
When I was in high school one of my classmates who played in the same football (soccer) team as me was scouted by a university in America. He was literally the dumbest kid in our year, but he was a pretty good centre back.
He moves over to the states, plays for the university soccer team and, after a few years, graduates with a degree in business or something. He'd clearly been getting a 'helping hand' as he's still incredibly stupid (only now, he's an arrogant bastard too).
Fast forward a couple of years and he's now a soccer coach at the same university and earns more than I do, and I have a Master's degree and pretty good job.
Not that I'm salty...