A higher education is necessary in a lot of ways in order for a young person to succeed in the American culture. A degree proving the completion of a higher education shows an employer the individual has good work ethic and can meet deadlines, and also it proves to them the individual has met a certain developmental stage in their lives which allows them to successful acquire this degree. Some see the pursuit of a higher education as a show of character in terms of one wanting to further their own knowledge in a certain area of study, simply so they can be more knowledgeable on the topic. Personally, I see a higher education as a mix of both of these views, while I do think having a degree proving success in a higher education is important for one’s career, I also believe that one should not pursue it if it is not something they are truly interested in and want to know more about. It is possible to be successful and to have a fulfilling life without having a higher education, although in this society it is more difficult to do.
Barnett tells of how higher education can be more a negative aspect to a young persons life since it is a time where one finds out that there are no definite answers in life, which makes it more difficult for them to grasp and hold onto anything solid. Since everything is always changing, it creates an uncomfortable environment for these people and it changes how they continue to see the world for the rest of their lives, it breaks the bubble of comfortability that they lived in previously. To whatever level Barnett is correct, Nussbaum’s explanation of the U.S educational system is also correct; in some ways it falls under what Barett described in the passage, but with a more gentle outlook. Nussbaum writes that many students who enter school “are required to take a wide range of courses in their first two years, mostly courses in the humanities…”, through this Nussbaum shares that the students are put into a variety of classes which puts them into what Barnett was talking about when Barnett mentioned that “the student comes to see that things could always be other than they are”. When Barnett brings up this idea of being uncomfortable, it is seen as a negative and scary experience, and while he is correct, there is a balance between both of these views. It can be good for the individuals who choose to pursue a higher education since it is a more eye opening experience, and it can also be scary and unsettling to learn new information in a new environment and setting. As a new student, just starting my higher education, I can see where both Nussbaum and Barnett are coming from in terms of how they see the pursuit of higher education. While Barnett is correct in that it is a very scary and uncomfortable change from a previous very comfortable and familiar space of living, Nussbaum is also correct in the way that this new step brings more experience and more room for growth into our lives.
