Is Education Really Necessary?π€ π€ π
Boris Markarian
86 replies
Hey Product Hunters! π
I had a small talk with my friend this morning and we were discussing - is education really necessary for everyone, or are real-world skills more important? π€
I mean, for entrepreneurs, it seems like having practical, hands-on experience can be a game-changer. You don't really need a degree to launch a startup or manage a business, right?π§βπ»
Skills like networking, negotiation, and even a bit of hustle might take you further than a stack of textbooks. π
But then, what about professions like doctors or teachers?π©ββοΈ π¨βπ«
I definitely don't want my surgeon learning on the job.π₯Ή
For these careers, a solid educational foundation is non-negotiable. They need the rigorous training and knowledge that only a structured educational program can provide. π
Maybe, both groups actually need a bit of both β education and real skills? π€·ββοΈ
So, what do you all think? Is traditional education still the way to go, or is it time we rethink its importance in today's world?
Let's discuss! π
Best,
BorisMoris
Replies
Kavil Rawat@kavilrawat
If you do not know what to do, take up general education, if you know what to do but do not know enough then take specialized education and if you know what to do and how to do it, then go ahead and do it.
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@kavilrawat Wow, sounds like good motivation speech! Actually, I think that you are right, but how do you know what to do and how to do at 18 y.o. without real experience?
Depends on your goals
@vladimir_tambovtsev Thats true, I think that for programmers it's not so important actually. Real skills are better in this case.
Education is a threshold and if you don't have an education you may not be able to cross the threshold to get what you want.
I think the question about the importance of education and practical skills does not have an unambiguous answer. It all depends on the context and the specific field of work. For entrepreneurs and many creative professions, real-life skills may be more valuable. However, for specialized professions with responsibility for human health and safety (medicine, engineering, education), formal education remains critical. The ideal path may lie in a combination of both approaches, where education and practice complement each other, ensuring the all-round development of the individual and the professional.
Nowadays I think it makes no big difference that only for some technical or medical sciences it is important, but for entrepreneurship or business the most important thing is the feeling or experience. Notice how many entrepreneurs or creators of big unicorn projects have dropped out of university, plus there is a huge amount of self-education materials available now. In the age of artificial intelligence, we have a personal teacher-guide for any science. It's a matter of interest and immersion. I also believe that MBA is an overrated type of education. Only if it's done for the sake of a badge.
@sugar_free_app I agree at a lot of points with you, but still I see that not all of the founders have dropped university. Especially technical one are graduated in a lot of cases. I agree about MBA and I think it's more about for Top managers, rather than founders and businessmen.
@boris_moris44 Sure, i mean the same. As for technical or application specialists, they definitely need a university degree. But for economists, in my opinion, very different qualities are important.
@sugar_free_app I agree! I think it highly depends on what your career you choose. But there are a lot of things the internet can help with- but specialized services is where education is absolutely necessary.
Boris, hi. Iβll tell you as a person who has several educations. The traditional system just broke away from the practical part of life. And if the practice at once was concomitant with the theory, then we would have the perfect combo. Of course, for such jobs as a doctor, perhaps it should be introduced later, but no one interferes with the use of simulators for training. In general, the essence, I think, is clear. The same applies to entrepreneurs. just their path to success would be shorter and faster
@evgeniy_vl I absolutely agree with you and understand you, as I also have several educations. We need more practice in the university for non tech or science students.
In any case, having an education is your safety cushion. It gives you more opportunities in life if you are an ordinary person. The question is whether you are ready to spend a few years on it.
I think it depends on the field of your study, but using only traditional education is not enough nowadays.
Why not a blend of brain and brawn? Let's build a world where textbooks meet toolkits and degrees dance with doing! ππΌπ
Launching soon!
Education builds the foundation for what you really want to achieve. It makes things easier for the future, atleast it did for me.
I believe that traditional educational institutions are important despite any new trends
@new_user___134202406cb6d3a975acabc That's a good statement, Valeria. I think we need to know how to combine classic education with modern skills!
I think basic quality education is very necessary. Not everyone has self-motivation and a clear direction. Many people only know what kind of person they want to be and choose the direction they strive for after receiving basic education.
I think that knowledge should be gained in practice, that is, when you really face a problem in solving a certain problem that because of inexperience can not solve. You can learn forever! but what of the studied really useful?
Πnd itβs also important to remember that our brain is lazy and everything that is not used is forgotten!
@deyvidas_b What a beautiful statement, Deyvidas. I TOTALLY AGREE, we need to study and practice, not just study and forget. That's why I think universities should give more opportunities to practice, like more internships and so on.
Education is crucial as it broadens our perspectives and equips us with essential skills to navigate life. However, its necessity can vary depending on individual goals and the ever-changing job market.
@elaineluyi Sometimes, when talking to business people who have never heard of classical literature or don't know basic historical facts, I begin to think that a classical education is essential.
From my personal perspective, I don't want to discuss traditional education and realistic job skills in opposition to each other. A traditional education fosters not only a student's ability to learn and do, but also physical activity, daily friendships and good character. If a student does have time and energy left over from his studies, he can also be exposed to real-world skills in advance.
It's pretty straightforward. If you know your career goals and they require specialized education, then that's the path to follow. However, if you're unsure about what you want to do, I'd recommend gaining practical experience through internships and learning new skills. This will help you discover your interests and decide on your future pursuits.
@prem_saini1 The problem is how do you know what you want without trying and how do you get into internships without basic education? For most companies education is essential if you don't have it and almost nothing if you do.
In my opinion, it depends on your business necessity. It is just impossible to run a fintech startup without academic knowledge in economics.
I particularly believe that education is fundamental no matter what. Maybe 1% of the population won't need it to succeed, but most will. We can't let exceptions define the rule.
@vitor_seabra Wow, what a good point, Vitor. I absolutely agree that exceptions can't define the rule. Besides, all entrepreneurs say that education helped them a lot, even those who dropped out of university. It's a bit like start ups industry, we only hear about the success stories and we can't even imagine the number of failures. Here we have the same, 10 unicorn owners suspended (not stopped) their education and we talk about them, but I don't think that all top managers and other founders and etc. don't have an education.
Launching soon!
It's your key to a brighter future!
In my opinion, as long as it's helpful in your future career and work life, yes. Otherwise, it'll just be as waste of precious years of life.
