Quite recently, basketball icon Shaquille O'Neal earned his doctorate degree in education from Barry University. While this event does not just mark a significant achievement for Shaq himself, we can see an overarching idea across america, a drive for education.Many blogs I've seen recently talk about the importance of education, and many of them are right. Education is something that near all Americans strive for. College also represents a vast distance between economic and social class, and can be seen as a means to bridge that gap. For many, college is more than just a piece of paper and some letters after the name.
For Shaquille, it was three things, reports ABC news:
“One, I promised my parents I would [follow my passion for education].
Two, I wanted to continue my education and three, I wanted to challenge
myself."
Shaquille O'Neal, a man with much recognition
already, stands for what many American's believe in, achieving higher
education. While many would have stopped at the bachelor degree or masters,
Shaq drives home the point that education is both important and rewarding, with
many traveling in his footsteps.
How important is college for most people? What
kind of pressures are people facing to go to college? Who else is setting
examples as Shaq did?
First off, I totally agree with you in that education is becoming a more important part of our society. For example, currently the Chicago Public Schools system has been under fire a lot more than it was 20 years ago. I think that that just shows how much more people care about education. This is also evident in the real estate market because more and more people are looking to move to areas with better schools (check out my most recent blog!). But to answer you question I think that people, especially in this area are facing so much pressure to attend more prestigious colleges not only because their parents may have attended them but also because they feel that more is expected of them. Our generation has had it drilled in by our parents that without college it is impossible to succeed which is one of the reasons education is so much more valued.
ReplyDeleteI think that no matter where you're from or what your background is, college is something to strive for. It's sad that college tuition fees bar a lot of the American population from attending a four year college program, let alone achieving a doctorate. What's confusing to me is why the government doesn't recognize that true progress comes out of education. If college was far cheaper than it is now, more of the populace would be educated. This would mean better informed voters, and innovative professionals finding solutions to problems that have ailed America in the past.
ReplyDeleteTim, The Shaq news caught my eye, too. Your questions are interesting, but it'd be nice to consider the issue(s) a little more deeply before raising them. The issue of on-line/distance education, for example. Or the need for athletes to have an education to fall back on. The rise in celebrity degrees (see James Franco). Or even the money issues Layne suggests. Still, I'm glad you have picked up your blogging this quarter, overall.
ReplyDelete