Joe Heller for May 15, 2023

“And I wrote this note on the ticket from my scratch-off lottery—Guess you better go find a job, son, I’m at the roadside selling pottery.”

I’m so old, I remember when American’s cheered for graduates rather than making up reasons to sneer at them.

As if college students of the past did not use other sources of intelligence and knowledge that were available at the time.

It’s not a matter of using AI to get that degree. It’s a matter of honor to not use AI to get that degree. Cheat in college and don’t be surprised if failure awaits you in your career where it becomes far harder to cheat and the consequences are far more serious.

“Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.” The ideal of behaviorism is to eliminate coercion: to apply controls by changing the environment in such a way as to reinforce the kind of behavior that benefits everyone. B.F.Skinner

For some reason, just can’t figure out why, cheating to win is now acceptable behavior. Maybe it was something political?

John Henry was a steel driven man . . .

I am aware that one anecdote is not exactly robust data, but I once met a high school graduate who was unable to read anything because of dyslexia. He did not know how many months are in one year, or how many days are in one year, or in one month, or in one week. His GPA was 3.0.

Knowing a trade is becoming more valuable than a college degree.

Universities are going to have to learn how to accommodate AI and to measure learning in new, dynamic ways.

@Retrac- Actually, the art of being skilled at a trade never went anywhere. It just got pushed aside due to the rise and rage of computers. We still need mechanics, plumbers and electricians. Especially plumbers because people pour everything down their kitchen sinks! Or pour stuff like grease down the toilet.

@Retrac- In fact when I first moved into my apartment which is on the first floor of my landlord’s house, I was having all sorts of water main backup problems because it turned out that the woman upstairs whom I shall call “ALBERTA EINSTEIN”, was flushing baby wipes down her toilet! Now go figure THAT ONE!

That’s OK – AI will be directly competing with you in your job search anyway.

Especially if you have an liberal arts degree.