Re: Oh, no -- the degree wars again!

["Walker, Arlen P" <Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM>]

And I missed it!

>A good writer is someone who is interested in things. I find it hard
>to imagine why someone who has the active interest in things around them
>that would make them a good tech writer would not have sought a degree in
>some substantial subject area.

All that shows is you suffer from a very limited imagination. That's OK,
though, I won't hold it against you. :{>}

For myself, I have no difficulty thinking of at least a dozen reasons not
to. My own reasons include lack of time and money, plus a general
indisposition to sit through a class watching a professor trying to teach
the semi-literate. (I've even run across a few semi-literate professors,
but
will cheerfully acknowledge that they were definitely the minority. Wish I
could say the same for the students.) I stayed around in college just long
enough to figure out that I could buy/borrow the books and do the learning
myself in far less time for far less expense. I certainly don't want to
denigrate anyone who stayed around for the paper. They did it their way and
I did it mine. I respect their decision and what they learned; I certainly
don't see what relevance the physical place where the learning occurred
has.

Learning is important; education is important. Degrees are like neckties;
they look pretty and are often required by companies, but have very little
if any effect on the actual job. (Now watch the hate mail generated by
folks
who don't read the first sentence of this paragraph.)


Have fun,
Arlen
Chief Managing Director In Charge, Department of Redundancy Department
DNRC 224

Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- Com
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