On first thought, it seems it's true that Google does depreciates the value of a university degree.
Or does it?
Half a century ago, a degree implied about the ability to carry out and contribute to scientific research, as well as profound analysis to shed new insights on current issues.
But it is so different now.
I'm not saying the statement doesn't hold ANY truth now. It still does, but it is a fact that it has been much diluted because we all know that the MAJORITY of us will never generate any scientific research or analysis that is of any more value than those readily available on Google Scholar.
I used to question the use of high school education, where we cracked our asian brains on alien-looking mathematical annotations and scanning through those piles of theories/histories/principles/application examples. Now I can better appreciate them because even though it's still true that most of us will never use differentiation nor integration in our actual life, those practices structured my logical thinking and exercised my brain as a whole.
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But what abt now?
I dont even think I can justify my university education with those reasons. Everything seems like I'm just doing it for the sake of doing it. I choose my courses STRATEGICALLY to ace the desired GPA; I memorise word by word --- trust me, sometimes english words are fully capable of disguising as ancient latin --- example by example just because our exams are marked based on KEY WORDS; I have been told a millions times by our professors that "things are totally different when you enter the real world as you realised whatever you've learnt might not apply at all".
I'm not complaining, because it makes things much easier for me to get my degree with such system in placed. But sometimes I wondered what kind of education I would otherwise get with these years of time and thousands of money.
Such thoughts are especially amplified after watching Big Hero 6 a few days ago (me being an animation cray). I am so envious of these guys in the movie, where their extensive knowledge can actually become a skill that is so capable of creating change and impact. Of course, both science and arts education have such ability, but I fail to relate to neither with my own.
Now excuse me as I go for my nap.
I woke up at 430am today (of which I had a 9am paper) because I literally studied half of a core module in the span of 2 hours last night. It sounds so ridiculous that it can't even be passed as one of those 'omg look how little I've studied I'm so gonna fail' claims.
I have zero intention to brag but you know what? I'm still gonna pass this module with at least a 'B' because I've been living in this system long enough to figure out how to survive. One-day effort of memorizing, that's the worth of a 'B' now.
