Beggars Can't Be Choosers
I don't get it.
I just don't fucking get it.
I don't get how in a modern age, a piece of paper is the only thing that dictates who you are as a societal character.
30 years ago, working your way up, or possibly having a Fat Cat for a father-in-law helped you become a somebody. Respect was something you earned, or possibly something you were given due to a bloodline.
80 years ago, you could start out as a Jewish-Polish Immigrant Nazi-Supporter shining shoes and working in a glue factory, only to work your way up to King of the World.
40 years ago, same idea - only people were starting to consider a post-secondary education and women were finally being included.
Now you're not considered qualified to do anything without a certificate to prove it! Experience, innovative-thinking, brains, brilliance and brawn get you nowhere without dedicating at least 4 years of your life to a General Arts degree. Bachelor degrees in Theology will get you to the top of that Corporate Ladder in today's Western Life-Style far likelier than being an Immigrated Doctor from a Third World Country ever will.
Screw that you've been java scripting and programming computers since you were 5 - where's you PhD in Physics?
Forget that you've been a crisis interventionist for 20-odd years and saved countless people from killing themselves, where's your Masters in Psychology?
Admin Assistant? NUTS TO THAT! Where the hell is your certificate in answering phones?
DOES KNOW-HOW ACCOUNT FOR NOTHING THESE DAYS?!
I was flat out told today by a social worker that I didn't have the option to apply for jobs anywhere I wasn't technically "qualified". IE: No piece of paper - no job.
But then I was told that I HAD to apply for every job I was qualified for: which turned out to be telemarketing, retail, and fast-food prep.
Forget that I busted my balls for a year at a joke of a post-secondary institution learning the inner working of the legal system - since my diploma's being withheld, I'm not qualified to be a Legal Assistant.
I'm not even qualified to be a receptionist and answer phones, even though I'm sure I aced that portion of the written exam in my Office Procedures class.
And the worst part of all of this is that because I'm not "educated" like my savvy social worker, I'm not deserving of her respect. Not only that, apparently you're not qualified to be subjected to the societal common courtesies that diploma-holders get.
HOW IS THIS ATTITUDE EVEN ACCEPTABLE!?
How is it that now, with all that us Westerners are blessed to have since birth (computers, books, education, courses, etc.) that all of that freedom to learn counts for nothing unless you've put in your time?!
1000 years ago - PEOPLE MADE UP ALL THE FUCKING KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE TODAY!!!!!
WHY ARE WE REGRESSING?!
Why do we all have to be academic successes by 21 to get any kind of respect from anybody? Why aren't the people needing help, being motivated? Being supported? BEING RESPECTED?! Why do you get shat upon for seeking help? Isn't that the step that all those diploma-holding life-coaches are saying in the hardest?
I don't know about you guys, but I definetly respect that single-moms that are busting their asses everyday so that their families get the best over the trust-fund slacker that's V.P. of some marketing empire.
The men and women that have accepted that their life is now and always going to be for the success of the under-achievers, yet work their fingers to the bone without complaint everyday.
The men and women that are earning those degrees to make a difference, and then stick to their motives!
Put in your time if you think it's going to make a difference.
Learn a language, a skill, anything - if you're devoted to change. If you're tolerant, accepting, innovative. But don't ever forget about the people devoting their meagre-existences to making yours a little simpler. It's okay to say thank you. It's okay to be accepting. It's okay to be equals.
A piece of paper doesn't dictate what your real skills are.
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