Then You're Wondering ...

in The Pub7 days ago

Last night it was around 7pm, when I finished all the things I had on my list and had a couple of hours for studying. Studying for me means watching an one hour long mentorship video on trading. I said watching, but here it means studying and that one hour can become two, as you need to digest and learn what you're seeing and hearing. Sometimes I am too tired to get results and choose resting, but when I feel up to it, it means hard work. Last night it was 10pm, when I finished, was amazed I was able to fully focus on the mentorship video, but I felt like I made a huge progress and was ready to test and backtest what I learnt last night. Then I remembered a funny story that I was part of once.

Years ago, I was flying home from Paris and there was a guy sitting behind me, wanting to impress a girl sitting next to him, at any cost. The girl was a biology student, coming back from a student exchange program in France and when the guy learnt about it, he started telling her when he started 8th grade, how much they had to write in class and when he was told he needed to know all that was shared and written down, he dropped out, went abroad to work. At the time of happening, he was working for the road authorities in France, building roads. He meant to be funny and the way he told the story was funny, but dropping out at 14 and never going back to school is not a laughing matter, not by far.

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Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

This is not the main topic, so before I digress, let's get back to what I want to write about today.

Most of the times I'm a quiet observer on Hive, reading and keeping my opinion to myself as what I'd have to say it's not what the posters would want to read and in some cases it's best not to say anything. But as everyone is free to post whatever smart sh*t they want, what do I care, right? However, sometimes, when I've had enough, there's a chance I post about it here and that's exactly what I'm going to do today.

Fair warning, there's a chance this post is going to blow the fuse for some users as they may recognize themselves, but rest assured, I'm not aiming this at anyone, this is just in general, because sadly, there are plenty of cases, to generalize.

Let's start with stating that everyone wants to be considered clever. Yes, "clever" is the expression to use here. For so long, I thought "smart" is the right expression, but then at some point I was told smart and clever don't mean the same thing. You can be smart but not clever, so clever is the best. Are you confused already? Not yet? 😆 Ok, let's move on.

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Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

So everyone wants to be/look clever and for so many, the way to achieve that is to get a college or university diploma. Having one for them already means they are clever. Is it true though?

Not long ago I read a post about a user who said, in a face to face conversation they are losing focus after a couple of minutes and has no idea what the rest of the conversation was about. This was not some isolated incident for them, as it happens every single day. I personally would freak out to be in such a situation, would be very concerned and seeking professional help asap, but that's me as the poster was not writing this out of concern. The main focus of the post was on how well they can hide it and fake paying attention.

The other case that also shocked me was something similar, but in a different way. The person said they can't read longer texts that 500 words as they lose focus.

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Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

It is really sad and indicates some kind of condition. I'm not a doctor or psychologist, so I'm not going to mention ADHD, or other diagnosis, but this is definitely not normal.

Both of them (as I can remember) were priding themselves on being educated as they have finished their university studies, which apparently is good, but knowing what they are struggling with, makes you question how they were able to finish their studies or what kind of education those institutions are providing.

This is where half of you would say this level of education is all crap and useless as what they are teaching is not something you'd use in real life. I'm not among the ones saying this, but don't agree 100% with what they are forcing you to study either. Regardless, what you have to learn during these years is besides the point right now. What matters is that you have to pass those exams and if you have such an attention deficit, it's quite hard without cheating.

Getting a college diploma seems to be easy these days, especially in some underdeveloped countries, but what comes after, is a different matter.

During the years, I worked with several interns. They all were freshly graduated from university, because my boss believed in giving them a first chance, but that was just for the show as the real reason was they are cheap.

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Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

I remember there was a guy, who didn't miss to mention how successful his graduation exam was on his first day at work. He got almost the highest grade and he made sure everyone knew. This was a huge warning sign by any standard, as it's never good to advertise yourself, let alone on the first day and soon I found out why he did it.

I didn't want to suffocate him on his first week, so I tasked him with some invoices and one of the task required him to convert kilograms into grams. It's a skill you learn in middle school, if not in elementary school, it's common sense as well, but for him as a freshly graduated economist was too much. Seeing he has lots of shortcomings, I gave him a simple test, first year accounting test, that you MUST know, and he successfully failed it all. He could not solve one right, not one. Kind of new he's useless, but the test was a written proof he was indeed useless.

This is where the problems start. Hiring and firing people was not my job, it was my boss's job, but when I confronted him with the evidence that proved he hired an incompetent, useless person, instead of doing the right thing, which would have been firing the individual, he told me to teach him and make it work. Why? Because the guy's father was his friend.

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Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

This in plain English meant I was doing the work of two people while getting paid for one. In one month it was clear that the smart guy could not be used for anything that his role required, he wasn't interested in learning wither, after all he was a university graduate with high grades, so I quit.

Would be nice to know he was the only one and I was the only unlucky person to have such a junior, but this is not the case.

Now the question is, what do you do with them? Some companies have high standards and you're out the minute they realize you're incompetent for the role, but how do you stop institutions handing out diplomas like free newspaper at the corner of the streets? Looks like everything has a price, everything can be bought if you have the right kind of money. When and where does this stop?

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Oh that's pretty funny because here it's fairly easy to spot incompetents or not... Here every big city has its own university, some are known to be tougher than others, it's common knowledge, so if you take degree here or there it changes a lot... Then inside the university you have the department, that's also an other story, every department has its own reputation too, let's see if you get a degree in politics science everyone knows you are a sheep, if you take it in phisics you are not

Friends/familiars of boss it's a common thing too, here the son of the boss is a total incompetent, even damaging, useless would have been better, but it's the son so untouchable

Oh that's pretty funny because here it's fairly easy to spot incompetents or not..

If you want to, it sure is, but some people are hiring blindly, because it's the kid of X or Y.

Each university has its own fame and some are known for releasing useless graduates. I suppose it's the same everywhere :(

All the world is village, we say here, that's not the first thing that works the same

Yuhh you started a very long dialog about candidates who just graduated from university but don't know what to do anything...
On my previous work I faced with last year students some of them were good enough to be accepted in company. But some of them not. They had practice in our company for summer period.
Honestly even if to talk about me I could to apply to my first job after 4 or 3d year in university. But I was motivated for it by myself and it was interesting for me. And yes colleagues could taught me things which I didn't know at that moment. With some of them I have friendship even now after many years...
On the other side if person isn't interested and just "want to have a job" It's better to find candidate who really wants to work on this position and motivated.
Also at my current work for some high graduated positions assumed a mentoring for newcomers. But again nobody wants to lead someone by hand and do his work if newcomers not interested in it.

No one is expecting them to do a job that requires years of experience, but when you don't know the basics, that are the foundation of everything, then you better don't apply for the job. The problem with people like I mentioned in my post is, they expect to be spoon fed, to be told exactly what to do. I had my role, my responsibility and babysitting and idiot was not among them.

There were others that excelled in what they had to do, but this was literally useless. Apart from showing off with fake results, he knew nothing.

I tend to look at it as book smart and street smart. For example, my sister grew up being really book smart, but street smart or common sense smart or even clever wasn't something that was easy for her. It was easier for me, but still not as easy as it is for some. Those social butterflies who can become a chameleon and adapt to any social situation are pretty amazing. I'd like to think I got a mix of both.

I tend to look at it as book smart and street smart.

Yes, this classification is accurate as you can categorize them in these two category, but this guy was neither. What do you do with those? Imagine you are given a junior, to help you in your activity and they are useless. What do you do with them?

I've been in situations, where one of my coworkers left and there was no one for his position, and the whole team's work depended on him. It wasn't my area, but along with a technician, we did the job for two weeks, till someone could fill the position. At least you make an effort, try your best, but when there's no willingness ...

That's part of the problem these days. They are just putting warm bodies in positions to fill them and the people have zero skills and no desire or ambition to try and learn them. We have someone in a probationary position right now, by all rights we should kick them to the curb, but we don't because we need someone to fill that spot. It's sad.

Looks like this is a problem everywhere and the bigger the company, the more you find of them. It is sad indeed.

For me a diploma means that the person should have the capabilities which doesn't mean they would be a great fit for the job.
While maybe in the back of my head I probably do think that I am smart/clever, I will never say that out loud.
I prefer that others do think this, without me having to point it out. I rather let my work speak for me.

The short time span of concentration will increase in the coming years, for sure with the generation growing up with tiktoks, instas, etc in which every so many seconds new content is provided.

For me a diploma means that the person should have the capabilities which doesn't mean they would be a great fit for the job.

That is 100% accurate and only time will tell.

While maybe in the back of my head I probably do think that I am smart/clever, I will never say that out loud.

Correct again. Never advertise yourself as smart or clever or expert. That is for others to decide and as they say, actions speak louder.

Maybe you're right about short time span of concentration increasing in the upcoming period, would be great, but it remains to be seen. Time will tell.

What I would like to throw in is. Most Uni graduates are clever, usually restricted though, to their own topic of study. Most Uni grads. though tend to lack common sense.

There is nothing worse on this earth that academia for academias sake. The fault in the UK is placed squarely on the shoulders of former prime minister, tony (baby killer, father of isis and convicted sexual deviant) blair, who openly chartered that all teens should get a university degree. As a result they are landed with enormous amounts of debt, and this country has lost so many kids who could have gone into more worthwhile apprenticeship schemes, and be earning damn good wages. As a result we have far too many unemployed grads with useless 'ologies and a desperate need for trades such as electricians, plumbers etc.

There is nothing worse on this earth that academia for academias sake.

That is true and unfortunately there are many who would literally do anything to get their hands on a diploma. Universities too, as that's how they are sustaining themselves. I have seen how they import foreign students, for the money as the quality of education they provide is questionable.

Not the path they should follow, not by far.

It's all about the money honey LOL, sponsorships and grants aplenty

My daughter is a Uni Tutor, leading in Criminal Justice, she tells me that a number of her students every year are not Uk nationals, she does comment though that they are often the most studious and hard working, always successfully graduating.

But why do they need a Uk specific degree. Yup, her dept. gets funds, extra funds for foreign students.

My daughter is a Uni Tutor, leading in Criminal Justice, she tells me that a number of her students every year are not Uk nationals

Now, if it's international criminal law, then I understand. But if they don't have UK citizenship, then why study criminal law, as the law is different in each country? Am I missing something?

I know, universities have to survive and everything is about the money, but still, why get a degree you will never be able to use?

Exactly!

I think we are all missing something, even my daughter throws her hands up LOL,

I am probably one of those. I posted about daydreaming the other day. Even mentioned I may have ADHD. For me I have to study and read long passages in the morning. I also take short breaks between. Most afternoons, like this one, I am almost useless for reading lengthy and dry stuff. So, I stay away from my academic studies if it is a course that bores me. If reading in the afternoon it will be short articles or posts, like here on Hive.

It wasn't like that when I was younger and working. My mind would wander alot as a teenager though, and it does now that I am retired. But I think it does it for different reasons than when I was a teenager.

It is funny though, because writing is the opposite. Once I start writing, I get in a zone and rarely get distracted.

You are not Joe, trust me. Yes, you are struggling and encountering difficulties, but you're twice (if not more) the age they have and you've been through a lot. Don't put yourself in their shoes as it's not a fair comparison. After a certain age, you need twice as much time and effort to get half the result, unfortunately.

At their age, their brain should be at the top and their energy level should also be on the top. Not to mention their only goal should be studying, nothing more.

It is funny though, because writing is the opposite. Once I start writing, I get in a zone and rarely get distracted.

See? That's great! It's huge that you can do this in the afternoon and thus not only fill your day with something useful and productive, but also enjoy it.

At their age, their brain should be at the top and their energy level should also be on the top.

I feel like my brain should still be top to. At least my brain tells my body that :-)

Honestly, I don't know where this will end, but I'm sure that in an increasingly mediocre society, standards are being lowered and we have more and more useless people. Add to that the fact that young people today don't want to work, not hard, not much work but high pay... otherwise they get stressed and traumatised. This society... it's a very complicated issue

Yup, times are changing for sure and not always in the right direction. It's really sad to see so many useless people.

The worst thing is when you have to work with them...

You're right and I know that first hand :( and you can't even tell them they are useless.

If you do, they get offended, and to top it all off, you're the bad guy. There are also a lot of useless and lazy people.

Interesting history and account of the school.

I haven’t seen my diploma since the day I received it. It’s never really been useful to me — and probably never will be.

But the years of studying bring back only warm memories. I truly believe I gained solid, well-rounded knowledge during that time.

I just made the wrong choice when it came to the profession itself.

But the years of studying bring back only warm memories. I truly believe I gained solid, well-rounded knowledge during that time.

I feel the same, although I've used my diploma and the knowledge as well. Would not trade it with anything.

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