Re:Mea culpa: there is a crisis in the humanities
by nugget on Friday July 27, 2018 @07:04PM
(#17630189)
As we transition from a pedigree-based to a skills-based economy, it would make sense that the humanities would be an earlier casualty than many other fields.
[ Parent
| on HN ]
Re:Mea culpa: there is a crisis in the humanities
by wonderbear on Friday July 27, 2018 @09:28PM
(#17630937)
I would argue we're just as pedigree based as ever. Just look at any list of the wealthiest (whatever demographic) people in the US. Inheritance and connections dominate it.
It's the wage-earners competing in a pseudo-meritocracy, just like fifty or a hundred years ago. The difference now is that our skilled trades require more formal education.
Re:Mea culpa: there is a crisis in the humanities
by gowld on Friday July 27, 2018 @10:17PM
(#17631120)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Americans_by_net_worth
In the top 10, 2 are 1st-generation trust-fund babies (The Koch brothers), 7 are tech company founders, and 1 is self-directed investor. Certainly most of these enjoy great upper-middle-class opportunity and privelege, but these founders did not get their wealth from pedigree-appointed positions at Daddy's company after drinking their way through a Political Science degree.
Then come 3 more trust fund babies (The Walton kids), a self-made casino founder, and another tech company founder.