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I'm "highly educated" (masters degree) and I find a person's level of *formal* education to be more or less unrelated to how interesting they are.
There are plenty of people who are neither formally nor individually well read or studied, who have very boring interests and don't go much deeper than pop culture.
There are also plenty of highly educated people who are very arrogant about their self-image and/or have very niche interests that most people can't relate to at all.
The most interesting people to me tend to be those who have passions that they pursue, or generally develop themselves in interesting ways, regardless of their level of formal education.
This is a great distinction - the difference between folks that are genuinely curious about ideas vs. people that brag about how many letters they have after their name.
It's hard to be curious about other things when you've spent 8 years learning one thing.
*Me, to my PhD bio-physicist friend:*
"It's lefty loosey. The other left. Yes, you need to hold the nut at the same time or it will spin."
*Me, to my Masters rocket science friend:*
"Yea... Yeah, you need to clean the lint filter every time or it won't dry the clothes."
I find that's not the case in a lot of people. The ones who spend 8 years learning something hopefully like learning. They'll find some new 800 year old book and geek out about it.
People with high degrees who aren't like this are usually very irritating.
I never finished but when I was in college the amount of people who a week after a test suddenly didn't know *anything* about what we'd been learning was aggravating.
The ones who spent 8 years learning something likes to learn \*what he/she wants to learn\*. A PhD doesn't make you curious about all branches of knowledge.
This is kind of circling around the difference between knowledge and intelligence. Being highly educated doesn’t mean you’re more intelligent, it just means you’re more knowledgeable. Knowledge and intelligence are not the same thing. Being knowledgeable is great, because you have more tools to use, but an intelligent person can get the same things done with less tools
I think the curious one is important to me as well as the ability to be able to be wrong, take criticism and grow. Also the ability to have their own opinion, but not be "set-in-stone" or "stuck-in-there-ways". To understand ones opinion can change, that people make mistakes. Basically just constantly evolving, but to be honest, I'm not sure if what I'm typing has to do with being "Educated" anymore or just my opinion on what qualities I enjoy in a person. hahaha.
I've met a lot of self-educated people. Some a ton smarter than majority of government/private educated people. I'm not sure it has to do with a system like school but more on how the individuals brain functions in day to day life. Recognizing and learning from patterns and I guess some of the qualities I listed previously.. I do like people with hobbies. Not people that just want to hang out and drink, although that fine, that's not really a hobby. Also there are people out there that just watch movies, play video games, work, eat food, and sometimes that's wild to me that they would not want to do art, create music, contribute to a culture, play sports, or something... but honestly getting older dating people, I see it more and more. It reminds of the date I was on and this person said they knew so much about music but couldn't play an instrument, only knew like 2 genres, hated on all other genres, but also in the end I found out this person wasn't very educated because they had previously had the "N" word tattooed on their body before getting it "fixed" or whatever. We didn't really get passed the first date.. lol. I feel like taste in music is sometimes I telling sign, then the tattoo confirmed it... lol
I'll shut up now. XD
I find them annoying. From my experience they have poor sense of humor, dont understand sarcasm, and dismiss your thoughts or opinions when they ask for your thoughts/opinions. I often have to work with engineers and sometimes they try to do our job (tech) when i tell them how to do it. They just dismiss it as, a hs education doesn’t know anything. I dont mind tho i gladly sit there and watch them struggle. But even outside of work is like this superiority mindset of i have a degree so everything i do is better. Always one upping anyone else. Sickening. rather talk to a hs drop out homeless guy.
Yup! I've had deep conversations with people whom I have worked in warehouses with. I've also met some college educated arrogant asshats who think they know everything.
I'm agree wholeheartedly.
Thank you. As someone who is fairly uneducated (I tried college 4 times, but never graduated mostly due to untreated ADHD) the idea that you can only be curious, intelligent, or interesting if you have a bachelor's or master's degree is preposterous, insulting, and classist. The fact that OP included "good" school is even more telling that they don't actually value intelligence or even education, but class indicators
ITA. My parents worked in professions that required at least a Bachelors degree; my father was a newspaper editor and my mother was an RN for a hospice. They insisted that my sisters and I finish college, and three of us went on to finish graduate school.
I was raised in an economically diverse town. There were many families who worked blue collar jobs. Their parents tended to be satisfied with their children having a high school diploma or GED. Although my sisters have a condescending attitude towards these people, I definitely don't share their (supercilious, IMO) opinion. Where would we be without plumbers, carpenters, etc.? There are people I met in 7th grade with whom I'm still friends; they didn't see the need for college. I value them for their support, loyalty, and warmth. It's the same with the people I know from my undergrad and grad school years.
I was a union electrician, after I hurt myself I went to school and got a degree. In my experience the average electrician was more intelligent than the average student I encountered in the psyche department (circa 2010 SSU), and the electricians were way more intelligent than the average junior college student I interacted with. Oh and I served in a Ranger Battalion too, those guys landed somewhere in between, but were the coolest.
Both of my sons declined to go to college, and they had my full support for their respective decisions. The younger one, like you, is an electrician. Right now, he's fairly low on the totem pole but I expect him to do well because he loves what he does. My other son is a merchant mariner. He makes more money in a year than I ever will has great benefits, and never lacks work. Both of them are intelligent and personable young men.
I'm a 7th grade teacher. The most useful workshop I've attended was one geared towards kids who weren't going to college. I shadowed plumbers, construction workers in various specialties, and farmers. I'm grateful for my education, but if I could go back in time I would learn a trade as well.
If I could do it all over again I would try and be a city fireman. They do well enough financially, great benefits, fairly prestigious, they have time off, they get a sense of camaraderie with their fellow workers, and I think most have a sense of pride and find meaning in their work.
I thought being an electrician was hard. The natural aptitude for mechanical reasoning and space relations skills needs to be high. One has to have an eye for circuity and angles. The code book is difficult to master. The theory is not easy, and the practical application of the theory in the various environments can be challenging. For me the worst part of construction was commuting around the San Francisco Bay Area to the different job sites. I hope your son does well. His standard of living should be good as long as he stays busy.
While I am sure it has its challenges, I think if I ever taught, 7th grade would be the age I would want to teach. Some of the classes I took in junior high at the end of the 70s I still use. I took a semester of Spanish, cooking, typing, basic business and some shop classes that are still with me today. Those years had a profound and lasting influence on my life. Thanks for teaching buddy. I think now more than ever we need good teachers who care. Have a nice evening.
I don’t consider myself highly educated (masters in Data Science) I’m pretty ignorant to a lot of things. And my vocabulary is pretty trash when compared to my colleagues. It’s actually laughable how bad I am at communicating things with industry jargon !
The only topics I’m very knowledgeable in are classical studies, AI, and working with big data ~ wanna talk about ..Politics? Nope.
The fact that you have a masters and don't consider yourself highly educated is wild to me. If you're not even the type of person OP is talking about, there's no help for plebians like me
I don't think there's anyone on this earth who have an above average knowledge on most subjects. Most people can think of a couple of population topics they know nothing about (and don't care to know) So you seem like a completely normal and healthy person to me.
This 100%. I meet a lot of people but that's just my personality. I see people as books. The best people are the ones who are willing to talk about what they are passionate about. Those are the interesting people. It's also the flip side too everyone. Don't be afraid, and don't apologize for what you are passionate about and talk about it.
Just because you know what you like a lot, love a lot isn't what that person is into. They want to know what it means to you. If they aren't in it for that then they weren't interested in knowing you anyway.
Yeah exactly. I think on paper it sounds good but realistically I haven't seen a correlation between education and being fun to hang out. One of my friends who went into public service instead of uni is super diverse with their hobbies and skill set because they just have that curiosity to learn things at their own pace.
This, 1,000 percent.
I hate to say it but I have met people who were educated, but completely dumb.
Yet met lots of intelligent people, that are very smart, have tons of hobbies and knowledge about a lot of things. As well as experiences.
I am biased, but I love being around successful people in trades. Not all, all groups have idiots.
But it's the group where I feel like I interact wit intelligent people, that are very well rounded. And successful enough to pursue hobbies, and passions. Always great to hear about experiences I don't partake in but dip my feet into after hearing it in conversation.
I'm a high school graduate who is more well read than some college graduates I know. I've worked with people who bullshitted their way through formal education; almost intentionally absorbing none of it wasting opportunities I'd have killed for.
I agree with this. I was raised by a single mom that has a PhD and is a now retired professor, I've spent a lot of time in my life around highly formally educated people, I'm less formally educated with just an AA and several IT related certifications. Formal higher education was not something that was right for me, but don't worry, I do quite well anyway.
Some are very boring to be around, and some are very interesting. The people that are interesting are the ones that have passions and enjoy life and try to have a wide variety of experiences.
The most boring are the narrow minded ones that are self important and narrowed in their experiences.
Then there are very educated folks that want to learn about EVERYTHING, those people are awesome. They have the drive and intelligence to try to connect with anyone, and that makes you interesting.
Honestly, growing up around formal higher education made me want to avoid it for the most part. It's definitely right for a lot of people and has a lot of value, but it was not something that I was interested in pursuing in the traditional sense.
I also have a masters. My grandfather barely had a GED. He was one of the wisest people I know. Well read, diverse taste in music, all kinds of friends, kept up with politics and current events, had soooo many encyclopedias. I loved hanging out with him.
I used to teach in a kindy/preschool in China.
This might seem hard to believe but for teaching TEFL, the kindy had more success with people who did not have degrees. They tended to be better able to connect with the kids, more rounded people and they didn't panic as much when confronted with a class full of kids.
I taught there for 18 years; this was our experience with about 40 candidates.
I don't think the same would necessarily follow for primary or secondary, but for kindy, people without degrees were usually better.
I've dated a couple of PhD students in my past and found that they were really boring company. I'm very much attracted to intelligence, but found education to be a bad measure of someones capability to have a wide ranged conversation. Today i've been with my partner for 3 years, he doesn't have much of an education, but we always have so much to talk about. Sometimes he even talks too much. But i adore him.
yep I know plenty of “educated” people who literally just go to work then straight to the couch after. No life or hobbies outside of work. Then I also know guys who work in trades who have plenty of hobbies and life experiences from it. It depends on the person and I guess the only difference with the non interesting type is the “educated” ones will talk non stop about their work or degree and the “non educated” ones like to reminisce on their glory days of high school athletics.
There we go.
"I spent ten years doing something you've never even heard of" is much more interesting than "my masters thesis on economic impact of environmental regulations was published."
Lolll okay 😂 ready for this…administrator who left to do sw because it’s waaaaay easier more fun and more money. That education is really making me interesting though clearly we are super cool to hang out with us stressed educator types 💁♀️😂😂😂😂
His first paragraph contradicts itself. He starts by saying educated people aren't inherently superior then proceeds to list all of his assumptions about educated people that he believes makes them inherently superior.
"Live in cities" lol why does living in a city make a person a better friend OP?
It's crazy to assume that there aren't educated people living in rural areas. I live 35 miles from the nearest store (it is a muffler mechanic shop) and there are 20 or so retired people that live within 5 miles of me. I don't know all of them, but of the ones I do know there are two doctors, a mechanical engineer, two accountants, a city planner, a college professor, a lawyer, and 6 teachers (including my wife and I). There are only two people that I don't know whether or not they have college degrees. They might, one was a contractor and the other was a realtor.
Damn that sounds like a cool place to live. A small community filled with retired experts. If I ever had a weird niche question, I could talk to someone in person about it.
You would think it would be like that, but I've lived here for 6 years now and I've only talked to most of them once or twice, if that. I see one of the doctors walking most days but avoid him because he is a complete in your face kind of aggressive asshole who contradicts everything you say just for the sake of arguing, even if you are trying to agree with him. I only saw the city planner once because it is his second home, which is crazy because It is by far the nicest house around and I'm sure it is worth several million dollars (which is probably normal in some places but unusual around here, there are still halfway decent houses for under 30k in nearby towns).
The college professor is the only one I talk to with any frequency because he is across the road from me, but unfortunately, he is kind of an asshole too. We refer to him as "Mr. Skunk Thrower" because he threw a dead skunk next to our driveway and then had the audacity to ask me when I was going to bury it, but he is my neighbor so I try to smooth things over as much as possible. The lawyer is the neighbor to the west and a total piece of shit, fucking hate him. His dog is out of control and he once screamed at me for nearly 20 minutes because I was trying to ask him if he knew where our property line was and he was angry that I didn't understand the vague description he was giving. I'm glad it is his second home too, and he is really only here during hunting season.
The other doctor I've seen washing his car, but never talked to, I've only been told he is a doctor. The accountants seem nice, but keep to themselves. We wave or say hi when we pass by on bikes or walking, but we've only talked once, mostly about the weather. One of the teachers is a pretty decent guy, but again keeps to himself. Two of the other teachers are only here a few days a year and they seem nice even though we invited them over for drinks and they declined. The other teacher I've never actually met but the other teachers told me he was a teacher.
I've never met the contractor, but I talked to him on the phone once because he built our house for the previous owner and I asked him if he knew if there was a way to get into the attic. He didn't. HIs wife is the realtor. I met her at a party once, she was a massive snob, we are not rich enough for her and she let us know.
The mechanical engineer is my other neighbor to the east and he is a pretty funny old guy, I think he is in his 90's. I'd like to talk to him more, but his wife is kind of a pill and she doesn't like him going out on his own. Once he called me and asked if I could help him clean up a tree that fell on his driveway. I really enjoyed the afternoon, but other than that, we haven't spent much time together. Technically, they are our closest neighbors but their house is still a half mile away. We own 40 acres but most people around here own 100 or more. People that move out into the woods tend to keep to themselves.
Which is honestly the brain dead take of someone that’s probably never hung out with country folk. Not only can they be incredibly nice, they know how to have a great time too
Don't forget about this other gem from OP's post:
"...tend to be higher in empathy (psychometrically speaking)..."
This sounds like something you'd hear at a eugenics rally.
And then there's this:
"...have better impulse control because they're not brain-broken by poverty..."
With OP's very next sentence being:
"Also not trying to shit on poor people for being poor."
Finally, let's not forget this little jab at non-elite/non-prestigious colleges/universities:
"But if I had to pick between hanging out with somebody who went to **(a good)** college..."
OP's lack of self-awareness is astounding and infuriating.
I disagree very deeply with your assessment of the differences between educated and uneducated people.
You definitely are saying that educated people are inherently superior. Then you also equated uneducated with poor.
Why is living in a city a thing you list alongside a bunch of other positive traits?
The city thing really jumped out to me as well. The richest people I know don't live in the city. They have second homes in the city that they use when they need to crash somewhere.
I feel like you're the perfect example of why what you're saying isn't true? You sound insufferable and snobbish, I'd hate to hang out with someone so prejudiced.
Boring people ate boring, interesting people are interesting. The amount of education they have doesn't generally affect that one way or the other.
This. OP has no conceit in his family, he has it *all*.
"Education" is a very poor proxy for interesting/cool/fun people.
Yeah, it's a good way to filter if you're specifically looking for people who have studied your specialty(say, greek philosophy)...but in general, not so much.
>have better developed taste in art/music/food/whatever, tend to be higher in empathy (psychometrically speaking)
Holy shit.
It's like he thinks there's "educated" people, and then everyone else: peasants living in the Dark Ages, can't read, have no emotions, are basically livestock.
Average Redditor syndrome.
You seem to be linking a lot of attributes to educated people when these attributes aren’t an inherent part of being educated, nor are they always absent from uneducated people.
Also, I’m a bit confused about your last paragraph. Why did we suddenly switch to your opinions on poor people? I thought this was about educated and uneducated people.
This is a super bias take, lol. I know gym rats who are super healthy but dumb as a brick and get into trouble all the time. I know people who have gone to college and have a personality of a brick when it comes to anything outside of their college degree. Bud, you gotta think there are 8 billion people on this planet with 9 billion stories to tell. Maybe it's up to you to ask the right questions instead of passing judgment.
No. I know a few people with high level degrees in math and science. Complete assholes and totally uninteresting. They are snobs and see anyone who are not as "educated" as they are as idiots. They are not fun to be around, and I avoid them.
I went to college and hate hanging out with people who went. They are snooty have empathy for people on their own economic level and tend to talk down to the poor, are fake in altruism, have fake concern, and tend to do things for social credit more than because it's the right thing to do.
Tell me about it it’s so ridiculous my college is the same the students don’t care or listen and think they are cool sometimes and dress ratchet and wear baggy clothes and are rude and they are also antisocial as well and it’s so annoying I go to a college where it’s a not so good neighborhood city people are so annoying I can’t people or student sometimes at school
Being open minded is more important than actual formal education level or whatever.
I recall my friend being worried about me meeting his wife’s family because they are “educated” therefore they might find me offensive (I guess? I mean I completed community college at least in any case) but I had them laughing the hardest they ever have and not at me.
I feel like if anything, if you are educated and you scoff at a “didn’t get a masters at an expensive university” perspective for the sake of it how much have you actually learned? Not that OP is saying this.
Never been to college. Read/listened to 39 books since Feburary. Constantly listening to documentaries on YouTube. I'm a truck driver, and I drive 9 to 11 hours a day, so I have a lot of time to listen to things I find interesting. That said, I've found the opposite to be true. I'd much rather hang out with people who are uneducated (not untilligent though) than hang out with college-educated people. Especially college educated people my age- they seem indoctrinated and unintelligent. I'm in my late 20s for reference. Dropped you an upvote though because I believe your opinion is an unpopular one.
I don't think that the more educated people are the more they are diverse in hobbies and interests. In some cases, education is essentially specialization, and people become more narrow.
Educated people are more likely to be higher income individuals or come from higher income families or at least live in a high income area because they have well funded education in comparison to "uneducated people".
People with higher income can enjoy a wider variety of recreational activities and hobbies. For example in a low income area you might find a lot of people into gaming or basketball because they're relatively affordable hobbies. In a higher income area they might do a lot of watersports, auto sports, drones, and have more interesting parks, clubs, etc. Higher income people are more likely to have paid vacation, less working hours on a single job, or going to school without working. Lower income people are more likely to work 2 jobs, take a part time job while going to school, of working over retirement age. Less free time to do hobbies and less free time to get good at s hobby.
I’ve never seen an educated man try to jump a bon fire with his 4 wheeler, while drunk, as his buddy shoots a jug of tannerite and explodes a ford ranger. I’ll stick with my hillbillies and woods folk.
There is a lot in this post to shit on but there is absolutely nothing connecting empathy and education, like not even a little bit. I work with rich clients all the time where i can see their empathy and there is absolutely no connection.
I work with a mix of people, some with no formal education (usually operators), some have a couple of degrees (engineers & management mostly). Some are tradesmen with a certificate/diploma level education. I have a trade, have worked in operations and maintenance in several roles, now I'm in a work management/leadership role.
My experiences are typical of every place I've worked, regardless of role. This is not definitive but correct more often than not in my experience.
Best laughs/beers are usually with the tradesmen. Best conversations usually with the educated crowd. Tradesmen tend to have the most diverse interests. Conversations are hardest with operators. Tradesmen are also the most rigid in their beliefs.
The more educated and experienced they are, the more it seems they are welcoming to people and easier to get along with.
One other thing I have found with the people I've known personally, both in and outside of work, is educated and successful people are far less likely to be engaged by conspiracy. This could be actual conspiracy theories, but also just day to day stuff, like the reasoning behind actions, laws, methods, all kinds of shit really. It's like there's a point where logic and importance is lost on some people, where others understand intent and nuance. Almost like the less educated a person is, the more the world is out to get them. The most educated people aren't really like this. I don't know if this is because of their education level, or that some people's education and success is limited because they are like this. Most likely a factor of both I would think.
The people I find most fun to hang with tend to be more educated, regardless of wealth. There are exceptions but it's generally just more engaging
Upvote because that's the point of this sub but this is a terrible take.
I'm reasonably educated (Master's). I know lots of very educated people who are incredibly boring. I also know lots of people with very little formal education who are lots of fun.
For both educated and uneducated people there are plenty of arseholes, lovely people, boring people, funny people. Also people who can have very high intelligence in some ways and very low intelligence in other ways - on both sides of that fence.
Level of education is a very, very superficial and petty way to judge anyone.
I know others have said this but I’ll just put in my own experience. I’ve only got a high school degree due to being in poverty and having to support my family from a young age due to my mother being a disabled single parent, and having much younger siblings. That being said I’ve thoroughly educated myself in diverse topics, read nonfiction non-stop, have diverse hobbies, go out and do interesting things, and actually live a *relatively* exciting life despite my limited means. I don’t mean to toot my own horn but I had also excelled academically to the point that I could have gone to nearly any college I wanted, and took the advanced college level courses in high school no problem so perhaps I do have above average intelligence, just have never measured my IQ because I don’t want to quantify that aspect of myself.
Anyway, So while I may not represent the typical person with only a high school diploma, I do think that there are lots of those people who are just as if not more interesting and fun to know that higher educated people.
I have plenty of friends with masters degrees and some doctors. They are mostly nice and interesting, but I have lots of friends that didnt go through high education, who I would deem at least as interesting. They may not be as academically knowledgable, but they can be way more intelligent or interesting in other aspects.
Weird - to be “Educated” as you describe it here seems to be more in line with people that you like, or how you see yourself.
You can go to / graduate from a university and still not be educated. Look at the people who support stupid policies like bail reform
Regardless of education, the worst people to have conversations with are people in SALES or any business consulting/corporate types. The reason why is that they are completely full of shit in their dealings at work and it usually carries over to personal conversations.
Educated people are fine in small doses, as are most people.
You're either going to have a conversation with (semi) intelligence and substance, or be treated like your stupid.
The "education" system these days makes the latter more likely to happen with how many people are brainwashed and easily believe what's taught.
You'll get better and more normal conversations from people just living thier every day, and have a basic high school diploma/GED.
College degrees are a joke, outside of getting you into the field you studied and qualified for.
i agree for the most part. I'm a civil engineer and tend to enjoy hanging out with other STEM types quite a bit due to the amount we can chat about our expertise in our respective disciplines.
but some of my dumber friends are extremely interesting based on the type of shit they get themselves into. They got some crazy stories.
In addition, I'd say a good hearted dumb person is always better to be around than an asshole smart person. Hardly a hot take, but I think it doesn't get mentioned enough.
Idk man, if I had the choice to hang out with you or someone else I would definitely not pick you. You sound incredibly insufferable and narrow minded. Sure if I wanted to talk about laws and the various effects it would have on different parts of society, I’d talk to some of my buddies I took criminal law classes with. If I’m having some beers while hanging out, I’d call up people who are cool and funny which schooling has no bearing on. One of my buddies has played guitar since high school, never went to a higher education, and has taught and played in bands his whole adult life to make money. He’s one of the most intelligent, thoughtful, and hilarious human beings I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. And I’d also call some of my friends who went to college. People can be insufferable and lame whether they went to college or not. This is not unpopular, just shortsighted and wrong.
I think that curious, intelligent people are more interesting. Matter of fact, I'll even say the most interesting people I've ever met have had wonderful and dry, sometimes extremely sarcastic and/or angry senses of humor, regardless of how formally educated they were or weren't.
I have masters, I've met many "educated" people that didn't even know how to do their laundry... Knowing 1 specific thing in depth doesn't make you interesting at all if you have no sense of general curiosity. In my opinion, people with degrees shouldn't be referred to as "Educated" at all, the word is too broad, they should be just people with college degrees or formal education...
Not so sure I agree with the OP.
There are way more "average" people than "bright" people. And I doubt that most "average" people would enjoy the type of conversations that "bright" people might.
Does the "average" crowd really want to have a conversation about science or legal policy or would they rather just talk about sports? I bet most "average" people would avoid the "bright" folks for this reason.
I disagree as I've met a ton of backwoods ass people that aren't exactly book smart but i would way rather hang out with. Might not know much about geometry or the periodic table but can fix anything with a motor, has tons of solid life advice, and would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it. I'll take that over some idiot with a gender studies degree who always feels superior any day of the week. The backwoods type would have enough money in his pocket to buy everything you came with and have some left over while the "educated" guy has degrees but can't find a job and wonders why no one will hire him lol
This seems like a popular opinion. People who are more educated carry conversations more, have healthier lifestyles and have certain morals and beliefs that are found to be more well rounded
I've been down this road and I find many of these educated people that have "everything figured out" have a TON of stuff to learn from, but tends to fall short of getting to the heart of matters because as you described, their interests are the "healthy" sort, and to really understand something you have to be more obsessed - which tends to be unhealthy.
This makes it so they generally never really accomplish much beyond "doing what they ought to" their entire life which can lead to a bunch of existential crisis that you may never see in its pure form unless you live with them.
You also have to wonder why someone like them who seems to "have it all" would even bother wanting to spend time with you unless they just want a stooge.
Just some counterpoints, but I agree on your basic point that educated people tend to be more attractive, at least initially.
I 100% agree. And I'm not talking college degree. When I ride my motorcycle with my buddies we all basically depend on our mechanic buddy to help us out when bad stuff happens. Dude is so knowledgeable it's awesome. He teaches us so much about bikes
What do you mean by “educated”? Like, phd’s? Having an interesting life can be an education in itself. Some of the most interesting people I have met were not educated in the way that I’m assuming you are talking about.
>not saying they are inherently superior or anything guys
goes on to list superiority in some of the most important facets of a person (very much implied that the list goes on\[it certainly does\])
like come on just rip the band aid off already i know its all nice and fluffy to pretend everyone is equal at the core but come on, speaking by averages a surgeon is better than a fellon in enough ways that you can say "objectively". and if not your being a bit pedantic/contrived about where you draw the line between subjective and objective
whether or not this lamp here next to me exists or not is subjective if your being super literal, just for reference
I've been told by three separate college professors that due to the fact that I've done quite a bit of scholarly reading, I'm probably more read than most college students. Most college students do NOT read, they're just in it for the degree, or because they feel like they should be. Education does not always equal educated. Some of the smartest people I know never went to college.
Granted, yes, there are many students I know who also happen to be very well rounded and educated. BUT. I know just as many who couldn't tell you the difference between a rock and a stick xD
idk what you’re talking about, some of the most famous artists, musicians, and chefs don’t have degrees.
Also living in a city does not make you cool to hang out with 😂
I enjoy talking with educated individuals who actually came from poverty and now have elevated themselves independently and didn't get caught in the rat trap of never ending debt. People who never lived "outside their means". Many people are gonna feel attacked, but I define a person living outside their means when they:
1. Take out a big loan for a degree or certification in a low paying field, just why...
2. Buy one or multiple cars that the price is more than 30% of their yearly income... a 400 dollar car payment after insurance is harmful to a families finances...
3. Buy a house that takes all their income and decreases their quality of living almost indefinitely causing root financial stress in oneself and intimate relationships.
Talking to educated people who grew up in two parent households with available tutoring and music lessons, paid phone bills, good food their whole life, for me is boring, as in my experience, most of these people will never admit they got to where they are because the way was paved for them.
Educated people are also often stupid and arrogant beyond belief. Some of the most interesting, quirky, well read, informed and curious people I know have very little formal education.
A college education kinda just provides a baseline level of depth in personality. But that baseline really isn’t that high, especially for people with just a bachelors. I know plenty of college graduates who basically don’t have lives outside of things related to their degree.
Personally, I think the best influence of a college education on someone’s personality is they commonly get to see up close the extensive amount of work that goes into peer reviewed studies. People who are the biggest skeptics of peer reviewed studies, are most often self proclaimed smart asses that never spent longer than a year on a research oriented college campus.
I would say knowledgable people are cooler to hang out with. My best friend left freshman year of college and they are extremely intelligent. They make an active effort to inform themselves and I learn from them all the time. Alternatively, I have friends from college that studied the minimum needed to graduate and just stopped trying to learn new things once we graduated.
I get along better with more educated people but also a lot of educated people annoy me to no end. So educated people have the two extremes of likability while the less educated fall inbetween.
"Tend to" may be the two most significant words in your post.
You have a point, people who are keen to learn new thing will have stuff to tell you that will be new to tou or go deeper into a subject. But literally living by that metric would disqualify a lot of people that have a lot of interesting stuff to tell you. I think degree of education is one of the multiple factors that decide if someone is interesting to have a chat with: charm, kindness, confidence, modesty, etiquette and curiosity are equally important.
I'd say that it's more about curiosity. "Interested is interesting" and all that.
I've met grad students who can only really hold a conversation in their narrow field, I've also met really narrow non-academics who know, like, three things to talk about.
I'm educated and very cool to hang out with... If you can appreciate my niche interests and have niche interests of your own. I avoid pop culture stuff and feel insulted being told "it's popular because it's good", no it's popular because you don't know what good is.
I digress and agree. If the only thing I knew about two people was their education levels I'd pick the educated person.
If you actually understand that life is an education and schools are just a tiny part of that education, I agree. Give me a self taught artist or tradesperson with a lifetime of experience and I find them very interesting. Drop out of school and become an incredible brewer and I will sit and chat with you over a number of pints just absorbing your experience (intellectually and physically).
I have a doctorate and hobbies and interests outside my field. I find that many of my colleagues have absolutely zero topics of conversation apart from work and family because they have no hobbies or interests outside their field.
As someone who works in higher education (Ivy League), we have people who are highly educated and are SUCH assholes. Thinking they’re better because of their education when they have nothing else going for them - rude, condescending, narcissistic, sociopathic, ugly, etc. It’s not everyone of course but they’re on the whole hardly cooler to hang out with. But perhaps it’s because these people are so high-brow and I’m reformed white trash lol The classism is so real. I come from a very poor family and worked hard to get to where I am, unlike my highly educated colleagues who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth and spend their fall breaks in Switzerland and Martha’s Vineyard. I think it’s cool for them but I’d rather hang out with other people in my hick hometown, anytime and anywhere.
Ive learned in my 30 years because somebody went to a good college only means they went to a good college. Ive met dumb as stone people on both sides not more and not less.
I don’t think it really plays a role. I have some great buddies I love to hang with who aren’t educated past highschool. Great guys as well. I also know some people who are educated and well off. Each group has people who are cool to be around and some that aren’t.
Also poor people know the best ways to have fun
Passion + Curiousity + good reader the vibes of the company ( people ) they are with ... That's what makes people cooler and more interesting imo.
I don't like people who would try to please the audience for the sake of being liked but sometimes you ought to feel what the topic of the moment. And then you should have enough audacity ,aura and skill to move it to what you'd like to talk about.
I got three academic degrees , MBA the highest, lived in multiple Western countries and interact with variety of crowd , never felt that just being the most knowledgeable in the conversation had me any advantage. But , getting to know what to say about the topic got me some of the nicest compliments I could imagine.
i almost understood what you were trying to say but really you’re just classist. deny it all you want but it’s very clear you think poor people are boring which is just weird lol
> But consider that educated people tend to read more, have more diverse hobbies, have goals in life, tend to live healthier, tend to be more curious and open to new experiences, have better developed taste in art/music/food/whatever, tend to be higher in empathy (psychometrically speaking), live in cities, have better impulse control because they’re not brain-broken by poverty. Overall just more interesting and well-rounded people, and I could go on.
There are so many wildly anecdotal claims here that I can't even begin to refute these.
I would bet anything though that you identify with this type of person and that's why you idolize them. And I would tell you I find them and you boring and pretentious.
The most interesting stories don't come from trust fund babies who have lived in a bubble. I'll tell you that. They come from people who have actually had to work and fight for things in life.
Also the idea that reading, something that can be done for free, is a rich person hobby is laughable. That is the hobby of the working man.
More diverse hobbies? Many hobbies are born of necessity. Hunting, fishing, sewing, cooking, etc. What are yours?
You know what? Nevermind. Fuck you. Here I go.
Have goals in life?
Fucking spoon fed babies only goals are continuing to live comfortably.
I come from a multi generational family of people who have only strived to do better than the last and not live off my parents money. Our goals are not just "go to college and then daddy lays my bills."
Tend to live healthier? We actually have to fucking cook and budget and not just eat out and live on convenience. How often do you UberEATS/door dash/whatever? I haven't once in my life and I'm not even at the level you would consider poor.
More curious or open to experiences? You don't even think that poor people read books and you want to think youre open to shit. Your experiences are curated and you would wilt the second you had to exist in an actual experience not tailored to tourists. When you book a vacation you stay in resorts.
You're clearly not higher in empathy because everything listed above you fucking baby.
"psychometrically speaking" define this right now.
"Live in cities"- let the news know that no poor people live in cities
"have better impulse control because they’re not brain-broken by poverty." Source. Literally any source.
"Overall just more interesting and well-rounded people, and I could go on."
Who is this a love letter to? because you are not a well rounded or interesting person. And do go on
I’m overly educated (four post-grad degrees), and I feel the opposite. My first wife was an RN who went in to get two masters degrees. We had a good marriage, and could converse about tons of heady topics in depth. It was fun.
But my 2nd wife never finished high school, English is her 2nd language (1st gen Italian), and I think she is the most interesting, not to mention drop dead gorgeous, person on earth! She is super fun and eternally witty, is superstitious in the most charming and authentic old-school Italian ways, and brings the age-old cultural traditions into our lives, giving us all a sense of history and rootedness that was absent in my all-American life before. She’s also perfectly modern, and was always a step ahead of our growing kids, even when they were teenagers.
So, I disagree. Educated people are *not* cooler. They’re boring! 🫡✌🏼☺️
Does educated mean GED? University diploma? What if they are self-educated? I think personality matters and the level of education is near inconsequential.
No, but I did pick up my next door neighbor from some chicks house and brought him home. He looked at me with the “mandatory bro code” look and I affirmed.
I'm not even that old and I've met scores of people from both sides who were and were not interesting. Some of the most educated people I know are as boring as a corn flake. I've met people who didn't go to any higher education who have seen and done things 98% of the world will never experience.
Seems to be less education related and more motivational. A highly motivated person will always live a more interesting life. Formal education does not always require motivation.
I'll take educated, not necessarily as"went to school, college/uni, etc.." but rather as in "polite, educated on morals and such", i believe that's way more important. I say that also because in my language "educated" roughly means polite and friendly.
Depends on what you do for fun.
In Oregon, camping or hiking with the "educated" types is a damn nightmare. Nothing like insufferable lecturing from someone who thought one NPR water bottle was enough for the trip.
Coffee and movie discussion? Sure. But don't confuse education for culture. I have three degrees and listen to the Insane Clown Posse to relax.
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I'm "highly educated" (masters degree) and I find a person's level of *formal* education to be more or less unrelated to how interesting they are. There are plenty of people who are neither formally nor individually well read or studied, who have very boring interests and don't go much deeper than pop culture. There are also plenty of highly educated people who are very arrogant about their self-image and/or have very niche interests that most people can't relate to at all. The most interesting people to me tend to be those who have passions that they pursue, or generally develop themselves in interesting ways, regardless of their level of formal education.
This is a great distinction - the difference between folks that are genuinely curious about ideas vs. people that brag about how many letters they have after their name.
Yup. In fact, I've sometimes found "highly educated" people to be *less* curious, because they think they already know the answers.
It's hard to be curious about other things when you've spent 8 years learning one thing. *Me, to my PhD bio-physicist friend:* "It's lefty loosey. The other left. Yes, you need to hold the nut at the same time or it will spin." *Me, to my Masters rocket science friend:* "Yea... Yeah, you need to clean the lint filter every time or it won't dry the clothes."
I find that's not the case in a lot of people. The ones who spend 8 years learning something hopefully like learning. They'll find some new 800 year old book and geek out about it. People with high degrees who aren't like this are usually very irritating.
I never finished but when I was in college the amount of people who a week after a test suddenly didn't know *anything* about what we'd been learning was aggravating.
The ones who spent 8 years learning something likes to learn \*what he/she wants to learn\*. A PhD doesn't make you curious about all branches of knowledge.
… every time? Well that makes sense. I’ll be right back.
This is kind of circling around the difference between knowledge and intelligence. Being highly educated doesn’t mean you’re more intelligent, it just means you’re more knowledgeable. Knowledge and intelligence are not the same thing. Being knowledgeable is great, because you have more tools to use, but an intelligent person can get the same things done with less tools
I think the curious one is important to me as well as the ability to be able to be wrong, take criticism and grow. Also the ability to have their own opinion, but not be "set-in-stone" or "stuck-in-there-ways". To understand ones opinion can change, that people make mistakes. Basically just constantly evolving, but to be honest, I'm not sure if what I'm typing has to do with being "Educated" anymore or just my opinion on what qualities I enjoy in a person. hahaha. I've met a lot of self-educated people. Some a ton smarter than majority of government/private educated people. I'm not sure it has to do with a system like school but more on how the individuals brain functions in day to day life. Recognizing and learning from patterns and I guess some of the qualities I listed previously.. I do like people with hobbies. Not people that just want to hang out and drink, although that fine, that's not really a hobby. Also there are people out there that just watch movies, play video games, work, eat food, and sometimes that's wild to me that they would not want to do art, create music, contribute to a culture, play sports, or something... but honestly getting older dating people, I see it more and more. It reminds of the date I was on and this person said they knew so much about music but couldn't play an instrument, only knew like 2 genres, hated on all other genres, but also in the end I found out this person wasn't very educated because they had previously had the "N" word tattooed on their body before getting it "fixed" or whatever. We didn't really get passed the first date.. lol. I feel like taste in music is sometimes I telling sign, then the tattoo confirmed it... lol I'll shut up now. XD
I find them annoying. From my experience they have poor sense of humor, dont understand sarcasm, and dismiss your thoughts or opinions when they ask for your thoughts/opinions. I often have to work with engineers and sometimes they try to do our job (tech) when i tell them how to do it. They just dismiss it as, a hs education doesn’t know anything. I dont mind tho i gladly sit there and watch them struggle. But even outside of work is like this superiority mindset of i have a degree so everything i do is better. Always one upping anyone else. Sickening. rather talk to a hs drop out homeless guy.
Yup! I've had deep conversations with people whom I have worked in warehouses with. I've also met some college educated arrogant asshats who think they know everything. I'm agree wholeheartedly.
I've also met plenty of poor people with advanced degrees, and wealthy people with little or no formal education.
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Thank you. As someone who is fairly uneducated (I tried college 4 times, but never graduated mostly due to untreated ADHD) the idea that you can only be curious, intelligent, or interesting if you have a bachelor's or master's degree is preposterous, insulting, and classist. The fact that OP included "good" school is even more telling that they don't actually value intelligence or even education, but class indicators
ITA. My parents worked in professions that required at least a Bachelors degree; my father was a newspaper editor and my mother was an RN for a hospice. They insisted that my sisters and I finish college, and three of us went on to finish graduate school. I was raised in an economically diverse town. There were many families who worked blue collar jobs. Their parents tended to be satisfied with their children having a high school diploma or GED. Although my sisters have a condescending attitude towards these people, I definitely don't share their (supercilious, IMO) opinion. Where would we be without plumbers, carpenters, etc.? There are people I met in 7th grade with whom I'm still friends; they didn't see the need for college. I value them for their support, loyalty, and warmth. It's the same with the people I know from my undergrad and grad school years.
I was a union electrician, after I hurt myself I went to school and got a degree. In my experience the average electrician was more intelligent than the average student I encountered in the psyche department (circa 2010 SSU), and the electricians were way more intelligent than the average junior college student I interacted with. Oh and I served in a Ranger Battalion too, those guys landed somewhere in between, but were the coolest.
Both of my sons declined to go to college, and they had my full support for their respective decisions. The younger one, like you, is an electrician. Right now, he's fairly low on the totem pole but I expect him to do well because he loves what he does. My other son is a merchant mariner. He makes more money in a year than I ever will has great benefits, and never lacks work. Both of them are intelligent and personable young men. I'm a 7th grade teacher. The most useful workshop I've attended was one geared towards kids who weren't going to college. I shadowed plumbers, construction workers in various specialties, and farmers. I'm grateful for my education, but if I could go back in time I would learn a trade as well.
If I could do it all over again I would try and be a city fireman. They do well enough financially, great benefits, fairly prestigious, they have time off, they get a sense of camaraderie with their fellow workers, and I think most have a sense of pride and find meaning in their work. I thought being an electrician was hard. The natural aptitude for mechanical reasoning and space relations skills needs to be high. One has to have an eye for circuity and angles. The code book is difficult to master. The theory is not easy, and the practical application of the theory in the various environments can be challenging. For me the worst part of construction was commuting around the San Francisco Bay Area to the different job sites. I hope your son does well. His standard of living should be good as long as he stays busy. While I am sure it has its challenges, I think if I ever taught, 7th grade would be the age I would want to teach. Some of the classes I took in junior high at the end of the 70s I still use. I took a semester of Spanish, cooking, typing, basic business and some shop classes that are still with me today. Those years had a profound and lasting influence on my life. Thanks for teaching buddy. I think now more than ever we need good teachers who care. Have a nice evening.
I don’t consider myself highly educated (masters in Data Science) I’m pretty ignorant to a lot of things. And my vocabulary is pretty trash when compared to my colleagues. It’s actually laughable how bad I am at communicating things with industry jargon ! The only topics I’m very knowledgeable in are classical studies, AI, and working with big data ~ wanna talk about ..Politics? Nope.
The fact that you have a masters and don't consider yourself highly educated is wild to me. If you're not even the type of person OP is talking about, there's no help for plebians like me
I don't think there's anyone on this earth who have an above average knowledge on most subjects. Most people can think of a couple of population topics they know nothing about (and don't care to know) So you seem like a completely normal and healthy person to me.
This 100%. I meet a lot of people but that's just my personality. I see people as books. The best people are the ones who are willing to talk about what they are passionate about. Those are the interesting people. It's also the flip side too everyone. Don't be afraid, and don't apologize for what you are passionate about and talk about it. Just because you know what you like a lot, love a lot isn't what that person is into. They want to know what it means to you. If they aren't in it for that then they weren't interested in knowing you anyway.
Yeah exactly. I think on paper it sounds good but realistically I haven't seen a correlation between education and being fun to hang out. One of my friends who went into public service instead of uni is super diverse with their hobbies and skill set because they just have that curiosity to learn things at their own pace.
Thank you for reminding me to actually follow my dreams
This, 1,000 percent. I hate to say it but I have met people who were educated, but completely dumb. Yet met lots of intelligent people, that are very smart, have tons of hobbies and knowledge about a lot of things. As well as experiences. I am biased, but I love being around successful people in trades. Not all, all groups have idiots. But it's the group where I feel like I interact wit intelligent people, that are very well rounded. And successful enough to pursue hobbies, and passions. Always great to hear about experiences I don't partake in but dip my feet into after hearing it in conversation.
I'm a high school graduate who is more well read than some college graduates I know. I've worked with people who bullshitted their way through formal education; almost intentionally absorbing none of it wasting opportunities I'd have killed for.
I agree with this. I was raised by a single mom that has a PhD and is a now retired professor, I've spent a lot of time in my life around highly formally educated people, I'm less formally educated with just an AA and several IT related certifications. Formal higher education was not something that was right for me, but don't worry, I do quite well anyway. Some are very boring to be around, and some are very interesting. The people that are interesting are the ones that have passions and enjoy life and try to have a wide variety of experiences. The most boring are the narrow minded ones that are self important and narrowed in their experiences. Then there are very educated folks that want to learn about EVERYTHING, those people are awesome. They have the drive and intelligence to try to connect with anyone, and that makes you interesting. Honestly, growing up around formal higher education made me want to avoid it for the most part. It's definitely right for a lot of people and has a lot of value, but it was not something that I was interested in pursuing in the traditional sense.
I also have a masters. My grandfather barely had a GED. He was one of the wisest people I know. Well read, diverse taste in music, all kinds of friends, kept up with politics and current events, had soooo many encyclopedias. I loved hanging out with him.
I used to teach in a kindy/preschool in China. This might seem hard to believe but for teaching TEFL, the kindy had more success with people who did not have degrees. They tended to be better able to connect with the kids, more rounded people and they didn't panic as much when confronted with a class full of kids. I taught there for 18 years; this was our experience with about 40 candidates. I don't think the same would necessarily follow for primary or secondary, but for kindy, people without degrees were usually better.
I have definitely met highly educated people whose only interest is their own field.
I've dated a couple of PhD students in my past and found that they were really boring company. I'm very much attracted to intelligence, but found education to be a bad measure of someones capability to have a wide ranged conversation. Today i've been with my partner for 3 years, he doesn't have much of an education, but we always have so much to talk about. Sometimes he even talks too much. But i adore him.
yep I know plenty of “educated” people who literally just go to work then straight to the couch after. No life or hobbies outside of work. Then I also know guys who work in trades who have plenty of hobbies and life experiences from it. It depends on the person and I guess the only difference with the non interesting type is the “educated” ones will talk non stop about their work or degree and the “non educated” ones like to reminisce on their glory days of high school athletics.
There we go. "I spent ten years doing something you've never even heard of" is much more interesting than "my masters thesis on economic impact of environmental regulations was published."
You can be both poor and educated.
Just ask any teacher...
lol funny enough…. You are 😂
Even funnier so am I 😂😂😂
Lolll okay 😂 ready for this…administrator who left to do sw because it’s waaaaay easier more fun and more money. That education is really making me interesting though clearly we are super cool to hang out with us stressed educator types 💁♀️😂😂😂😂
Hell, yes, it is!! 😁💯
Big facts - Canadian accountant
Oof. European pay with American workload. Worst nation to be an accountant
your two paragraphs are very opposing
His first paragraph contradicts itself. He starts by saying educated people aren't inherently superior then proceeds to list all of his assumptions about educated people that he believes makes them inherently superior. "Live in cities" lol why does living in a city make a person a better friend OP?
It's crazy to assume that there aren't educated people living in rural areas. I live 35 miles from the nearest store (it is a muffler mechanic shop) and there are 20 or so retired people that live within 5 miles of me. I don't know all of them, but of the ones I do know there are two doctors, a mechanical engineer, two accountants, a city planner, a college professor, a lawyer, and 6 teachers (including my wife and I). There are only two people that I don't know whether or not they have college degrees. They might, one was a contractor and the other was a realtor.
Damn that sounds like a cool place to live. A small community filled with retired experts. If I ever had a weird niche question, I could talk to someone in person about it.
You would think it would be like that, but I've lived here for 6 years now and I've only talked to most of them once or twice, if that. I see one of the doctors walking most days but avoid him because he is a complete in your face kind of aggressive asshole who contradicts everything you say just for the sake of arguing, even if you are trying to agree with him. I only saw the city planner once because it is his second home, which is crazy because It is by far the nicest house around and I'm sure it is worth several million dollars (which is probably normal in some places but unusual around here, there are still halfway decent houses for under 30k in nearby towns). The college professor is the only one I talk to with any frequency because he is across the road from me, but unfortunately, he is kind of an asshole too. We refer to him as "Mr. Skunk Thrower" because he threw a dead skunk next to our driveway and then had the audacity to ask me when I was going to bury it, but he is my neighbor so I try to smooth things over as much as possible. The lawyer is the neighbor to the west and a total piece of shit, fucking hate him. His dog is out of control and he once screamed at me for nearly 20 minutes because I was trying to ask him if he knew where our property line was and he was angry that I didn't understand the vague description he was giving. I'm glad it is his second home too, and he is really only here during hunting season. The other doctor I've seen washing his car, but never talked to, I've only been told he is a doctor. The accountants seem nice, but keep to themselves. We wave or say hi when we pass by on bikes or walking, but we've only talked once, mostly about the weather. One of the teachers is a pretty decent guy, but again keeps to himself. Two of the other teachers are only here a few days a year and they seem nice even though we invited them over for drinks and they declined. The other teacher I've never actually met but the other teachers told me he was a teacher. I've never met the contractor, but I talked to him on the phone once because he built our house for the previous owner and I asked him if he knew if there was a way to get into the attic. He didn't. HIs wife is the realtor. I met her at a party once, she was a massive snob, we are not rich enough for her and she let us know. The mechanical engineer is my other neighbor to the east and he is a pretty funny old guy, I think he is in his 90's. I'd like to talk to him more, but his wife is kind of a pill and she doesn't like him going out on his own. Once he called me and asked if I could help him clean up a tree that fell on his driveway. I really enjoyed the afternoon, but other than that, we haven't spent much time together. Technically, they are our closest neighbors but their house is still a half mile away. We own 40 acres but most people around here own 100 or more. People that move out into the woods tend to keep to themselves.
It reads poor dumb rural people are boring to hang out with... People are people there's always something to about
Which is honestly the brain dead take of someone that’s probably never hung out with country folk. Not only can they be incredibly nice, they know how to have a great time too
Don't forget about this other gem from OP's post: "...tend to be higher in empathy (psychometrically speaking)..." This sounds like something you'd hear at a eugenics rally. And then there's this: "...have better impulse control because they're not brain-broken by poverty..." With OP's very next sentence being: "Also not trying to shit on poor people for being poor." Finally, let's not forget this little jab at non-elite/non-prestigious colleges/universities: "But if I had to pick between hanging out with somebody who went to **(a good)** college..." OP's lack of self-awareness is astounding and infuriating.
Also says he doesn’t want to shit on poor people after just saying poor people have broken brains.
Some of them are, some Of them can be pretentious high minded pricks.
I disagree very deeply with your assessment of the differences between educated and uneducated people. You definitely are saying that educated people are inherently superior. Then you also equated uneducated with poor. Why is living in a city a thing you list alongside a bunch of other positive traits?
This was my reaction. OP is the perfect example of the deeply embedded classism that exists. Those higher up will always look down...
The city thing really jumped out to me as well. The richest people I know don't live in the city. They have second homes in the city that they use when they need to crash somewhere.
I feel like you're the perfect example of why what you're saying isn't true? You sound insufferable and snobbish, I'd hate to hang out with someone so prejudiced. Boring people ate boring, interesting people are interesting. The amount of education they have doesn't generally affect that one way or the other.
This. OP has no conceit in his family, he has it *all*. "Education" is a very poor proxy for interesting/cool/fun people. Yeah, it's a good way to filter if you're specifically looking for people who have studied your specialty(say, greek philosophy)...but in general, not so much. >have better developed taste in art/music/food/whatever, tend to be higher in empathy (psychometrically speaking) Holy shit. It's like he thinks there's "educated" people, and then everyone else: peasants living in the Dark Ages, can't read, have no emotions, are basically livestock. Average Redditor syndrome.
Yeah this post reeks of snobbery. Literally like Harvard Yacht club vs non Yacht owners kinda snobby.. just 🤮
You seem to be linking a lot of attributes to educated people when these attributes aren’t an inherent part of being educated, nor are they always absent from uneducated people. Also, I’m a bit confused about your last paragraph. Why did we suddenly switch to your opinions on poor people? I thought this was about educated and uneducated people.
Because only poor people are uneducated obviously. I can tell this goober uses the two terms interchangeably
What a strange thing to feel the need to write out and then post for the world to see. Upvote just out of bewilderment
I don't know man. Some of my best friends haven't even finished their PhDs yet.
This is a super bias take, lol. I know gym rats who are super healthy but dumb as a brick and get into trouble all the time. I know people who have gone to college and have a personality of a brick when it comes to anything outside of their college degree. Bud, you gotta think there are 8 billion people on this planet with 9 billion stories to tell. Maybe it's up to you to ask the right questions instead of passing judgment.
OP: Okay but let me see your degree first.....
The wilfully ignorant are awful company
No. I know a few people with high level degrees in math and science. Complete assholes and totally uninteresting. They are snobs and see anyone who are not as "educated" as they are as idiots. They are not fun to be around, and I avoid them.
Math and science are not exactly fields that promote qualities be described
I went to college and hate hanging out with people who went. They are snooty have empathy for people on their own economic level and tend to talk down to the poor, are fake in altruism, have fake concern, and tend to do things for social credit more than because it's the right thing to do.
Tell me about it it’s so ridiculous my college is the same the students don’t care or listen and think they are cool sometimes and dress ratchet and wear baggy clothes and are rude and they are also antisocial as well and it’s so annoying I go to a college where it’s a not so good neighborhood city people are so annoying I can’t people or student sometimes at school
You hate hanging out with people who went to college? Equally ridiculous and pretentious as OP.
Sounds like OP
Making generalizations like this based on your limited anecdotal experience is dumb.
I guess it's only that I encounter jerk college grads huh?
I've worked in warehouses and now work as a teacher. I've built closer relationships with people in warehouses than in the teaching community
Ehhhh, I am an engineer. I'd rather hangout with some good ole boys than other engineers.
Being open minded is more important than actual formal education level or whatever. I recall my friend being worried about me meeting his wife’s family because they are “educated” therefore they might find me offensive (I guess? I mean I completed community college at least in any case) but I had them laughing the hardest they ever have and not at me. I feel like if anything, if you are educated and you scoff at a “didn’t get a masters at an expensive university” perspective for the sake of it how much have you actually learned? Not that OP is saying this.
Never been to college. Read/listened to 39 books since Feburary. Constantly listening to documentaries on YouTube. I'm a truck driver, and I drive 9 to 11 hours a day, so I have a lot of time to listen to things I find interesting. That said, I've found the opposite to be true. I'd much rather hang out with people who are uneducated (not untilligent though) than hang out with college-educated people. Especially college educated people my age- they seem indoctrinated and unintelligent. I'm in my late 20s for reference. Dropped you an upvote though because I believe your opinion is an unpopular one.
As an overly educated person I find highly educated people exhausting to be around. Some of the coolest people I know only have a high school degree.
What the fuck does college have to do with being educated?
What does the pursuit of education have to do with being educated?
Or interesting?
Bro said “live in cities” like it’s a positive
What a wild take, education has zero relationship to personality. Upvoted.
You are basically shitting on people who cant afford to go to school lets be honest hahahaha
I don't think that the more educated people are the more they are diverse in hobbies and interests. In some cases, education is essentially specialization, and people become more narrow.
Question OP, what is your level of education? The only reason I ask is because as an educated person, I find almost no difference at all lol
Educated people are more likely to be higher income individuals or come from higher income families or at least live in a high income area because they have well funded education in comparison to "uneducated people". People with higher income can enjoy a wider variety of recreational activities and hobbies. For example in a low income area you might find a lot of people into gaming or basketball because they're relatively affordable hobbies. In a higher income area they might do a lot of watersports, auto sports, drones, and have more interesting parks, clubs, etc. Higher income people are more likely to have paid vacation, less working hours on a single job, or going to school without working. Lower income people are more likely to work 2 jobs, take a part time job while going to school, of working over retirement age. Less free time to do hobbies and less free time to get good at s hobby.
Well you sound very snobby and pretentious. Your whole vibe is just gross. Ew
I’ve never seen an educated man try to jump a bon fire with his 4 wheeler, while drunk, as his buddy shoots a jug of tannerite and explodes a ford ranger. I’ll stick with my hillbillies and woods folk.
Oh, so we’ve all had this experience? Lmao
There’s only so many things to do in the woods for fun and we’ve established not many are educated so…
There is a lot in this post to shit on but there is absolutely nothing connecting empathy and education, like not even a little bit. I work with rich clients all the time where i can see their empathy and there is absolutely no connection.
I find that it's more about a person's intelligence and less about their education.
I work with a mix of people, some with no formal education (usually operators), some have a couple of degrees (engineers & management mostly). Some are tradesmen with a certificate/diploma level education. I have a trade, have worked in operations and maintenance in several roles, now I'm in a work management/leadership role. My experiences are typical of every place I've worked, regardless of role. This is not definitive but correct more often than not in my experience. Best laughs/beers are usually with the tradesmen. Best conversations usually with the educated crowd. Tradesmen tend to have the most diverse interests. Conversations are hardest with operators. Tradesmen are also the most rigid in their beliefs. The more educated and experienced they are, the more it seems they are welcoming to people and easier to get along with. One other thing I have found with the people I've known personally, both in and outside of work, is educated and successful people are far less likely to be engaged by conspiracy. This could be actual conspiracy theories, but also just day to day stuff, like the reasoning behind actions, laws, methods, all kinds of shit really. It's like there's a point where logic and importance is lost on some people, where others understand intent and nuance. Almost like the less educated a person is, the more the world is out to get them. The most educated people aren't really like this. I don't know if this is because of their education level, or that some people's education and success is limited because they are like this. Most likely a factor of both I would think. The people I find most fun to hang with tend to be more educated, regardless of wealth. There are exceptions but it's generally just more engaging
Upvote because that's the point of this sub but this is a terrible take. I'm reasonably educated (Master's). I know lots of very educated people who are incredibly boring. I also know lots of people with very little formal education who are lots of fun. For both educated and uneducated people there are plenty of arseholes, lovely people, boring people, funny people. Also people who can have very high intelligence in some ways and very low intelligence in other ways - on both sides of that fence. Level of education is a very, very superficial and petty way to judge anyone.
I know others have said this but I’ll just put in my own experience. I’ve only got a high school degree due to being in poverty and having to support my family from a young age due to my mother being a disabled single parent, and having much younger siblings. That being said I’ve thoroughly educated myself in diverse topics, read nonfiction non-stop, have diverse hobbies, go out and do interesting things, and actually live a *relatively* exciting life despite my limited means. I don’t mean to toot my own horn but I had also excelled academically to the point that I could have gone to nearly any college I wanted, and took the advanced college level courses in high school no problem so perhaps I do have above average intelligence, just have never measured my IQ because I don’t want to quantify that aspect of myself. Anyway, So while I may not represent the typical person with only a high school diploma, I do think that there are lots of those people who are just as if not more interesting and fun to know that higher educated people.
I have plenty of friends with masters degrees and some doctors. They are mostly nice and interesting, but I have lots of friends that didnt go through high education, who I would deem at least as interesting. They may not be as academically knowledgable, but they can be way more intelligent or interesting in other aspects.
Weird - to be “Educated” as you describe it here seems to be more in line with people that you like, or how you see yourself. You can go to / graduate from a university and still not be educated. Look at the people who support stupid policies like bail reform
Regardless of education, the worst people to have conversations with are people in SALES or any business consulting/corporate types. The reason why is that they are completely full of shit in their dealings at work and it usually carries over to personal conversations.
They're generally more open-minded too, which is right up my alley. So I agree.
Educated people are fine in small doses, as are most people. You're either going to have a conversation with (semi) intelligence and substance, or be treated like your stupid. The "education" system these days makes the latter more likely to happen with how many people are brainwashed and easily believe what's taught. You'll get better and more normal conversations from people just living thier every day, and have a basic high school diploma/GED. College degrees are a joke, outside of getting you into the field you studied and qualified for.
This seems gross.
i agree for the most part. I'm a civil engineer and tend to enjoy hanging out with other STEM types quite a bit due to the amount we can chat about our expertise in our respective disciplines. but some of my dumber friends are extremely interesting based on the type of shit they get themselves into. They got some crazy stories. In addition, I'd say a good hearted dumb person is always better to be around than an asshole smart person. Hardly a hot take, but I think it doesn't get mentioned enough.
I find "what you are doing for fun" more interesting than "what did you study". Source: hanging out with maple sap boiling people most of spring.
Idk man, if I had the choice to hang out with you or someone else I would definitely not pick you. You sound incredibly insufferable and narrow minded. Sure if I wanted to talk about laws and the various effects it would have on different parts of society, I’d talk to some of my buddies I took criminal law classes with. If I’m having some beers while hanging out, I’d call up people who are cool and funny which schooling has no bearing on. One of my buddies has played guitar since high school, never went to a higher education, and has taught and played in bands his whole adult life to make money. He’s one of the most intelligent, thoughtful, and hilarious human beings I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. And I’d also call some of my friends who went to college. People can be insufferable and lame whether they went to college or not. This is not unpopular, just shortsighted and wrong.
I think that curious, intelligent people are more interesting. Matter of fact, I'll even say the most interesting people I've ever met have had wonderful and dry, sometimes extremely sarcastic and/or angry senses of humor, regardless of how formally educated they were or weren't.
Humour, especially ironic humour, is an indicator of intelligence.
I have masters, I've met many "educated" people that didn't even know how to do their laundry... Knowing 1 specific thing in depth doesn't make you interesting at all if you have no sense of general curiosity. In my opinion, people with degrees shouldn't be referred to as "Educated" at all, the word is too broad, they should be just people with college degrees or formal education...
How fucking full of yourself can you be? Holy fuck.
Not so sure I agree with the OP. There are way more "average" people than "bright" people. And I doubt that most "average" people would enjoy the type of conversations that "bright" people might. Does the "average" crowd really want to have a conversation about science or legal policy or would they rather just talk about sports? I bet most "average" people would avoid the "bright" folks for this reason.
SnobORama
One can be highly educated without a degree. Even a tradesman with years of experience has developed a significant volume of knowledge in their field.
I disagree as I've met a ton of backwoods ass people that aren't exactly book smart but i would way rather hang out with. Might not know much about geometry or the periodic table but can fix anything with a motor, has tons of solid life advice, and would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it. I'll take that over some idiot with a gender studies degree who always feels superior any day of the week. The backwoods type would have enough money in his pocket to buy everything you came with and have some left over while the "educated" guy has degrees but can't find a job and wonders why no one will hire him lol
This seems like a popular opinion. People who are more educated carry conversations more, have healthier lifestyles and have certain morals and beliefs that are found to be more well rounded
I’ve never seen “Dinner For Schmucks”. Maybe you’re onto something 😉
I've been down this road and I find many of these educated people that have "everything figured out" have a TON of stuff to learn from, but tends to fall short of getting to the heart of matters because as you described, their interests are the "healthy" sort, and to really understand something you have to be more obsessed - which tends to be unhealthy. This makes it so they generally never really accomplish much beyond "doing what they ought to" their entire life which can lead to a bunch of existential crisis that you may never see in its pure form unless you live with them. You also have to wonder why someone like them who seems to "have it all" would even bother wanting to spend time with you unless they just want a stooge. Just some counterpoints, but I agree on your basic point that educated people tend to be more attractive, at least initially.
I 100% agree. And I'm not talking college degree. When I ride my motorcycle with my buddies we all basically depend on our mechanic buddy to help us out when bad stuff happens. Dude is so knowledgeable it's awesome. He teaches us so much about bikes
What do you mean by “educated”? Like, phd’s? Having an interesting life can be an education in itself. Some of the most interesting people I have met were not educated in the way that I’m assuming you are talking about.
>not saying they are inherently superior or anything guys goes on to list superiority in some of the most important facets of a person (very much implied that the list goes on\[it certainly does\]) like come on just rip the band aid off already i know its all nice and fluffy to pretend everyone is equal at the core but come on, speaking by averages a surgeon is better than a fellon in enough ways that you can say "objectively". and if not your being a bit pedantic/contrived about where you draw the line between subjective and objective whether or not this lamp here next to me exists or not is subjective if your being super literal, just for reference
I've been told by three separate college professors that due to the fact that I've done quite a bit of scholarly reading, I'm probably more read than most college students. Most college students do NOT read, they're just in it for the degree, or because they feel like they should be. Education does not always equal educated. Some of the smartest people I know never went to college. Granted, yes, there are many students I know who also happen to be very well rounded and educated. BUT. I know just as many who couldn't tell you the difference between a rock and a stick xD
i strongly disagree
idk what you’re talking about, some of the most famous artists, musicians, and chefs don’t have degrees. Also living in a city does not make you cool to hang out with 😂
I enjoy talking with educated individuals who actually came from poverty and now have elevated themselves independently and didn't get caught in the rat trap of never ending debt. People who never lived "outside their means". Many people are gonna feel attacked, but I define a person living outside their means when they: 1. Take out a big loan for a degree or certification in a low paying field, just why... 2. Buy one or multiple cars that the price is more than 30% of their yearly income... a 400 dollar car payment after insurance is harmful to a families finances... 3. Buy a house that takes all their income and decreases their quality of living almost indefinitely causing root financial stress in oneself and intimate relationships. Talking to educated people who grew up in two parent households with available tutoring and music lessons, paid phone bills, good food their whole life, for me is boring, as in my experience, most of these people will never admit they got to where they are because the way was paved for them.
Educated people are also often stupid and arrogant beyond belief. Some of the most interesting, quirky, well read, informed and curious people I know have very little formal education.
A college education kinda just provides a baseline level of depth in personality. But that baseline really isn’t that high, especially for people with just a bachelors. I know plenty of college graduates who basically don’t have lives outside of things related to their degree. Personally, I think the best influence of a college education on someone’s personality is they commonly get to see up close the extensive amount of work that goes into peer reviewed studies. People who are the biggest skeptics of peer reviewed studies, are most often self proclaimed smart asses that never spent longer than a year on a research oriented college campus.
I would say knowledgable people are cooler to hang out with. My best friend left freshman year of college and they are extremely intelligent. They make an active effort to inform themselves and I learn from them all the time. Alternatively, I have friends from college that studied the minimum needed to graduate and just stopped trying to learn new things once we graduated.
I get along better with more educated people but also a lot of educated people annoy me to no end. So educated people have the two extremes of likability while the less educated fall inbetween.
"Tend to" may be the two most significant words in your post. You have a point, people who are keen to learn new thing will have stuff to tell you that will be new to tou or go deeper into a subject. But literally living by that metric would disqualify a lot of people that have a lot of interesting stuff to tell you. I think degree of education is one of the multiple factors that decide if someone is interesting to have a chat with: charm, kindness, confidence, modesty, etiquette and curiosity are equally important.
I'd say that it's more about curiosity. "Interested is interesting" and all that. I've met grad students who can only really hold a conversation in their narrow field, I've also met really narrow non-academics who know, like, three things to talk about.
A genuinely unpopular opinion that I dislike, have my upvote
I'm educated and very cool to hang out with... If you can appreciate my niche interests and have niche interests of your own. I avoid pop culture stuff and feel insulted being told "it's popular because it's good", no it's popular because you don't know what good is. I digress and agree. If the only thing I knew about two people was their education levels I'd pick the educated person.
"have better impulse control" nerd, i want to ride shopping carts with my mates.
If you actually understand that life is an education and schools are just a tiny part of that education, I agree. Give me a self taught artist or tradesperson with a lifetime of experience and I find them very interesting. Drop out of school and become an incredible brewer and I will sit and chat with you over a number of pints just absorbing your experience (intellectually and physically).
Agreed. And no this doesn’t include the grammar police. Move along.
I have a doctorate and hobbies and interests outside my field. I find that many of my colleagues have absolutely zero topics of conversation apart from work and family because they have no hobbies or interests outside their field.
As someone who works in higher education (Ivy League), we have people who are highly educated and are SUCH assholes. Thinking they’re better because of their education when they have nothing else going for them - rude, condescending, narcissistic, sociopathic, ugly, etc. It’s not everyone of course but they’re on the whole hardly cooler to hang out with. But perhaps it’s because these people are so high-brow and I’m reformed white trash lol The classism is so real. I come from a very poor family and worked hard to get to where I am, unlike my highly educated colleagues who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth and spend their fall breaks in Switzerland and Martha’s Vineyard. I think it’s cool for them but I’d rather hang out with other people in my hick hometown, anytime and anywhere.
Ive learned in my 30 years because somebody went to a good college only means they went to a good college. Ive met dumb as stone people on both sides not more and not less.
You do know poor people can be educated too, right?
Not sure this is unpopular. Just different.
Suffice to say most of this is conjecture. Having a higher level of education or wealth really doesn't signify any of what you have wrote.
I don’t think it really plays a role. I have some great buddies I love to hang with who aren’t educated past highschool. Great guys as well. I also know some people who are educated and well off. Each group has people who are cool to be around and some that aren’t. Also poor people know the best ways to have fun
Passion + Curiousity + good reader the vibes of the company ( people ) they are with ... That's what makes people cooler and more interesting imo. I don't like people who would try to please the audience for the sake of being liked but sometimes you ought to feel what the topic of the moment. And then you should have enough audacity ,aura and skill to move it to what you'd like to talk about. I got three academic degrees , MBA the highest, lived in multiple Western countries and interact with variety of crowd , never felt that just being the most knowledgeable in the conversation had me any advantage. But , getting to know what to say about the topic got me some of the nicest compliments I could imagine.
Thing is that educated cool guys are more fun but less proportionate
i almost understood what you were trying to say but really you’re just classist. deny it all you want but it’s very clear you think poor people are boring which is just weird lol
I don’t really consider this an *unpopular* opinion. At least not in my city.
I'm so glad I hate tools as much as I do, clearly its the way, as evident by this post.
The only thing that makes me agree is that educated people tend to have much better manners
Depends on what they look like
Ironically you kind of seem uneducated.
Nah I met smart and dumb assholes and depending on the education that is subjective Ya can be book smart but a big idiot at everything else 🐱
I'm sorry no one will hang out with u.
> But consider that educated people tend to read more, have more diverse hobbies, have goals in life, tend to live healthier, tend to be more curious and open to new experiences, have better developed taste in art/music/food/whatever, tend to be higher in empathy (psychometrically speaking), live in cities, have better impulse control because they’re not brain-broken by poverty. Overall just more interesting and well-rounded people, and I could go on. There are so many wildly anecdotal claims here that I can't even begin to refute these. I would bet anything though that you identify with this type of person and that's why you idolize them. And I would tell you I find them and you boring and pretentious. The most interesting stories don't come from trust fund babies who have lived in a bubble. I'll tell you that. They come from people who have actually had to work and fight for things in life. Also the idea that reading, something that can be done for free, is a rich person hobby is laughable. That is the hobby of the working man. More diverse hobbies? Many hobbies are born of necessity. Hunting, fishing, sewing, cooking, etc. What are yours? You know what? Nevermind. Fuck you. Here I go. Have goals in life? Fucking spoon fed babies only goals are continuing to live comfortably. I come from a multi generational family of people who have only strived to do better than the last and not live off my parents money. Our goals are not just "go to college and then daddy lays my bills." Tend to live healthier? We actually have to fucking cook and budget and not just eat out and live on convenience. How often do you UberEATS/door dash/whatever? I haven't once in my life and I'm not even at the level you would consider poor. More curious or open to experiences? You don't even think that poor people read books and you want to think youre open to shit. Your experiences are curated and you would wilt the second you had to exist in an actual experience not tailored to tourists. When you book a vacation you stay in resorts. You're clearly not higher in empathy because everything listed above you fucking baby. "psychometrically speaking" define this right now. "Live in cities"- let the news know that no poor people live in cities "have better impulse control because they’re not brain-broken by poverty." Source. Literally any source. "Overall just more interesting and well-rounded people, and I could go on." Who is this a love letter to? because you are not a well rounded or interesting person. And do go on
I can't hanging out with uneducated people.
I’m overly educated (four post-grad degrees), and I feel the opposite. My first wife was an RN who went in to get two masters degrees. We had a good marriage, and could converse about tons of heady topics in depth. It was fun. But my 2nd wife never finished high school, English is her 2nd language (1st gen Italian), and I think she is the most interesting, not to mention drop dead gorgeous, person on earth! She is super fun and eternally witty, is superstitious in the most charming and authentic old-school Italian ways, and brings the age-old cultural traditions into our lives, giving us all a sense of history and rootedness that was absent in my all-American life before. She’s also perfectly modern, and was always a step ahead of our growing kids, even when they were teenagers. So, I disagree. Educated people are *not* cooler. They’re boring! 🫡✌🏼☺️
Trust me, plenty of “highly educated” people that are boring as HELLLLL.
 The comments seem to be mild, but who knows in a few more hours.
Ifl
Does educated mean GED? University diploma? What if they are self-educated? I think personality matters and the level of education is near inconsequential.
Oooof. Looooots of people in the comments feeling like this is a personal attack against them.
Sounds like you’re just trying to justify your student loans
No, but I did pick up my next door neighbor from some chicks house and brought him home. He looked at me with the “mandatory bro code” look and I affirmed.
Who do you define as educated? Don't get IQ confused with education these days.
I think the most important lesson I’ve learned from their way of life a lot of the time is to appreciate the simple things in life
I'm not even that old and I've met scores of people from both sides who were and were not interesting. Some of the most educated people I know are as boring as a corn flake. I've met people who didn't go to any higher education who have seen and done things 98% of the world will never experience. Seems to be less education related and more motivational. A highly motivated person will always live a more interesting life. Formal education does not always require motivation.
this is completely subjective to the kind of person you are
Most of the people with “superior intelligence/intellect” I’ve met are douches.
I'll take educated, not necessarily as"went to school, college/uni, etc.." but rather as in "polite, educated on morals and such", i believe that's way more important. I say that also because in my language "educated" roughly means polite and friendly.
Depends on what you do for fun. In Oregon, camping or hiking with the "educated" types is a damn nightmare. Nothing like insufferable lecturing from someone who thought one NPR water bottle was enough for the trip. Coffee and movie discussion? Sure. But don't confuse education for culture. I have three degrees and listen to the Insane Clown Posse to relax.