This is a common misconception in our society today. There is this notion that if you are intelligent, you must be well educated. And that if you are well educated, you must be intelligent. While this may sometimes hold true, the opposite is often more accurate.
I know many college educated, overly degreed morons. True story. These folks could quote classic literature, do math faster than a calculator, and ace a spelling test. But don't ask them to change a light bulb, or chew gum and walk at the same time, because I can promise you... it ain't happening.
I also know several non educated folks who can barely spell their names, but they could tell you every detail about how a computer, or an engine works.
The point is... Educated does not always equal intelligent, and vise versa, and we need to quit assuming that it does.
I didn't go to college, but I would hardly call myself stupid. While I may not know quadratic equations, or the Latin names for plants and animals, I can still hold my own in most conversations. I also don't need help tying my shoes, or making a pot roast. And I've come to find that some of the most highly educated people cannot function well in everyday life. If you spend too much time in the relative shelter of university walls, you often miss out on basic life lessons & skills. This makes functioning in the real world difficult for some, and impossible for others. There are many a great scholar, and leader in their fields, who have the common sense of a door knob.
Am I suggesting that you cannot be both intelligent AND educated? Not at all. I know many people who are both. But I also know many people who are one, and not the other.
I'd also like to point out that telling someone who didn't go to college that they still could, or "It's not too late." is also annoying. Do I wish I had gone to college? Sure. Because it's much more acceptable to be 20, and have no idea what you want to be when you grow up, than it is to be 34, and still not know. Yes, I COULD go to college. But I don't WANT to go. It's just not for me. I hated school. It was not an environment that I thrived in. I love learning things, and while some classes do interest me, college as a whole does not.
I also do not think I need a degree to be a better person, and this is another perception that many people have. There is an attitude of negativity associated with non educated people. That we must not be functioning, worthwhile members of society. That needs to stop. Yes, there are many uneducated people out there who may fit this stereotype, but there are just as many educated ones that fit it as well. A degree (or several degrees) does not make you better than anyone else. Mechanics, cooks, janitors, and construction workers are just as important to a well balanced society as doctors, lawyers, and art history majors.
Now, I'm a big fan of inspirational quotes, and when it comes to the subject of knowledge vs. wisdom, there are many. Here are some that I'd like to share:
"Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life."
"Knowledge comes from learning, wisdom comes from living."
"We can have all the knowledge in the world, but it means nothing without the wisdom to know what to do with it."
"To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe."
I think you get my point. Some of the wisest, most intelligent people in this world are also some of the least educated. While I firmly believe that education is important, I also know that it isn't an option for everyone. And I know that life lessons can often teach us a great deal more than any teacher or book. So the next time you want to make an assumption about someone without a college degree, try assuming they are just as smart, well balanced, and capable as you.
I like this one by a British humorist:
ReplyDelete"Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit while wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad."
Teena, I think one of the problems here is the ingrained expectation that all high school kids should go to college. We are taught that we will not succeed in life otherwise. That is why you get the responses you mentioned.
In the US, 65% of high school grads go to college whereas it is just under 50% in Britain I don't think Brits are any less wise, capable or whatever term fits.