Quality Shmality

     I like to think back to the Greeks and the seven books of a liberal arts education that every citizen should have to become a better citizen.  America used to be deeply rooted in the Classics for education.  People got their undergraduate degree and then if they so desired went on to obtain a graduate or professional degree. 
    In the last 30 years, America's promising wanted accelerated programs and many went into finance.  Instead of two years of graduate school, why not one? The late 80s' had the savings and loans bust and hundreds of assholes went to jail for insider trading and fraudulent loans.  The "Great Recession" only a handful of people have went to jail and every body blames someone else.
     I study literature because it makes me want to be a better man and human being.  I almost switched majors to Econ and Accounting last semester.  The tests were objective and my "education" was very measurable.  However, there was a problem, I looked at things on how to monetize them.  I didn't want to become a business man with no ethics.  My insurance guy who I got my workers comp,  proudly told me he never read a book in college.  When I blew out my knee fighting forest fires, the doctor said it was a bad sprain.  When it got worse he told me the pain was in my head.  Then an MRI showed I had the triage and needed reconstructive surgery.  If these two hacks would have read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich they might have some compassion to fellow human beings and heaven forbid, be better at their jobs.
     Colleges today have something like a 50% percent graduation rate. I know its hard for out of touch politicians in an Oligarchy to quantify inspiration and passion, but what happens when a student takes a geology class and finds a passion for the outdoors instead of an accounting class?  My brother graduated in Finance and had no job offers upon graduation.  I did an internship at a paper in North Dakota this summer and received two job offers.  I'm rather certain I don't want to live in North Dakota, but I'll stick with English.  Plus my blood pressure is lower than my brother even though he has more money than me.