> education in itself must be a strong goal for our nation

Too bad it isn't. Education is being used as a yardstick to isolate the poor from the economy. Don't have a BS? Guess you aren't qualified to work at McDonalds.

And for those that do get those degrees, like you said, haikus aren't a viable job. For all the history and literature majors of the world a lot of them were spoon fed what their parents thought - "get a degree, any degree, and you are ahead in the world" just to find out that "ahead" didn't mean comfortable living. It just meant you had higher priority for the limited pie of work than those who didn't have that generic piece of paper.

If you want people not to be ruled by the dollar, change society so your ability to be safe and secure in your day to day survival isn't bound so tightly to the pursuit and amassment of said dollar.

Decoupling Safety and Security from the Almighty Dollar is a noble pursuit.

I agree, but if we are going to agree to not be ruled by the almighty dollar, we have to stop giving so many almighty dollars to universities for degrees that will produce no almighty dollars after graduation.

Let people study fine arts with a minor in Russian literature. But we shouldn't subsidize huge student loans so they can get those degrees.

> “The arts are essen­tial to any com­plete national life. The State owes it to itself to sus­tain and encour­age them…. Ill fares the race which fails to salute the arts with the rev­er­ence and delight which are their due.” -- Churchill, 1938

We could debate how much subsidy should be allocated for arts vs. science, but I'd prefer that the wealthiest countries didn't restrict arts. They/we can afford it.

The arts won't go away if the US stops subsidizing it. Universities will just charge less for it.

Sure, but staying in school until your 30's is a bit ridiculous. Only so many people can do it. Think about it. You're living off of somebody else's dime until almost 40.

If you are actually trying for academia (and are considered as have a good chance of doing so), rather than being in academic wrappings around professional education, you should have consistent TA/RA/fellowships, and while it can be argued that, in living off research funding, you're living off someone else's dime, aren't you likely going to be living off that same dime the rest of your life?