Handling the "Worthless Crap" label

I knew I would eventually find one of these posts to work with that was recent and relevant. Courtesy of "Captain Capitalism" (h/t Phi Beta Cons) we have another example of perhaps the most common criticism made of many seeking career opportunities or life direction that do not "have a plan" or know where to go: they are "worthless crap."

In this case, the blogger hypothesizes that government does not work because its officials have the wrong backgrounds. Using his home state (Minnesota) legislature as an example, he argues that only 19% of its members earned college degrees in "worthy" subjects. He considers worth degrees to be those that "actually have some kind of net positive benefit to society," while the remainder majored in "'worthless freaking crap'... degrees rich spoiled kids pursue as a hobby with no real intention of ever finding a real job."

There is no need to provide his lists for each category. You know them already because your academic pursuits (past, present, or future) have likely been labeled by many people (parents, teachers, friends, and so on) as either having tangible, productive value, or simply "worthless" endeavors that will provide no benefit beyond the classroom. Captain Capitalism does argue that many business management degrees (not Accounting or Economics, but those involving procedural topics such as general management and HR) as worthless, too.

In the end, our theorist contends that the difference between worthy and worthless has to do with the presence (or lack thereof) of mathematics in the chose field of study:

"The MORE math a major has, the LESS likely these lazy slobs are to pick it as a major. Ergo, they are not majoring in a discipline or study that actually will produce something of worth to society, they choose to major in a hobby that requires little to no math simply because math is difficult."

Of course, all of this is only serving to depress many of you. Perhaps you are thinking back to your classroom days, whether it be high school or college, and are asking yourself "if I had only done my math homework" or "I should have listened to that career counselor and chosen medicine over philosophy."

Nothing will change your past. Honestly, you really do not need to. If you are not sure about your interest in such an intensive career as medicine, engineering, accounting, or another form of applied science, there is no guarantee that you would have continued on the path to completion. More than likely, you would have dropped off somewhere along the way, feeling even more disenchanted with your future. That does not mean that you can simply ignore the importance of work ethic and understanding the concept of certainty (both developed through the study of math and applied sciences) either.

The key fact to consider is that your choices are not "worthless," even if they are wrong. A former (and my only) college roommate earned his first degree in music education. I could tell he had strong analytical characteristics and impressive work ethic and personal discipline that enabled him to excel at his chosen instruments. However, less than a year after graduating, with a few months of high school music teaching under his belt, he visited our school again to look at a degree in engineering (don't know much else, but I think he is doing well regardless).

Does any of this mean his first four years of college were "worthless?" Absolutely not! Neither was my first year as an engineering major and four subsequent years earning degrees in history and political science. Our initial paths may not work out completely, but they serve to show us what our true passions are and how our skills and talents can best incorporate them into a successful career. My youngest sister may have a degree in dance, but she is by no means "worthless" when you consider that she also manages productions, teaches dance to children, sews and stitches costumes for almost everyone she knows, and builds sets.

There is, however, "worthless crap" amongst us. You cannot identify it on the basis of a credential or diploma, for these qualifiers tell us little about the person who possesses them. The key is their backgrounds, experiences, and results. For every philosophy major who "contemplates their navel" before heading off for their half-shift at the local free-trade coffee shop, there is likely one who owns a successful business that succeeded by tying their education to other interests and personal strengths.

There is also, very likely, an accounting or engineering graduate depressed about the world around them, unable to contribute because while they possess the analytical skills sets, they do not have the passion or desire to apply them. None of these people are "worthless," but in some cases, the intentions and directions they received along their path might as well be.

From a policy perspective, I can agree with the writer that government does possess a strong percentage of people who do not possess the experience and perspective to understand the impact of their decisions and policies on the public they are supposed to serve. Often times, as a professional public administrator, I question my own understanding of this critical dynamic. The point about the importance of math is also very applicable. It was a favorite school subject for my father and his parents, and I enjoyed it as well (being the only History/Political Science major to graduate that year with a full year of Calculus).

My professional success is tied directly to my analytical abilities, especially when it comes to math. However, effective perspective requires knowledge of many other subjects and disciplines. In public policy, given the requisite to achieve and maintain equity with respect to a given service or activity, one must consider the history, philosophical backgrounds, and other aspects of the public and the jurisdiction as a whole.

There is also something else lacking in Captain Capitalism's arguments that is most troubling. At no point does the writer mention the role of faith, as an element of character or component in proper decision making and work ethic. Faith is the key to uncovering passion and tying it to our natural talents and abilities. Faith is not a set process, but rather a vehicle for spiritual exploration with no certainty of timeline or limits on false starts and failures. We might want to find our way to our "chosen" futures as quickly as possible, but faith is more concerned in directing us to where we really want to go, no matter how long the trip.

Nothing that helps lead someone to a future of achievement, however we as individuals interpret it, is "worthless crap." In the end, that seems to be the most contradictory component of Captain Capitalism's argument. Capitalism succeeds best in an environment that respects individual liberty, which encourages the individual, not those around them, to prioritize the value they place on themselves above how they are considered by others. If we limit declarations of value to those with certain academic pursuits or careers and discourage them from the pursuit of their passions, then we turn against the environment that enables the greatest possible success and opportunity for all. In some ways, we have seen that for long enough already.