A College Education Delbanco Analysis

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Education: The Impact on Self and Others
“In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity – it is a prerequisite” (Obama). Starting from the late 1950s, the adoption and proliferation of digital computers and digital record keeping that continues to present day caused many great changes that impacted societies all around the planet. The invention of the World Wide Web, brought about by the digital revolution, allowed globalization to be a feasible practice. Businesses, governments and other organizations cooperate and develop influence on an international scale which present to us a world that is more connected and competitive than ever. Andrew Delbanco, …show more content…

In his short essay, A College Education: What Is Its Purpose?, Delbanco gives examples on the importance of education through different views and conversations. I fully endorse and agree with Delbanco’s view and reasons on the importance of a higher education and why it is vital to both the individual’s well-being and society as a whole.
Today, the United States’ political climate is more divided than ever. Largely due to the election of 2016 where Republican Donald Trump defeated the Democratic Hilary Clinton in one of the closest election race in U.S. history. With the increasing social unrest and inequality in the country, it is evident that education plays a crucial role in politics. “The best chance we have to maintain a functioning …show more content…

Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation” (Wilde). Ultimately, the main point of education is to discover oneself and their personal identity. In Delbanco’s short essay, after giving a talk to a group of alumni, a Columbia alumnus points out that he has missed the main point and what was most important is that the education he acquired taught him how to truly enjoy life. Delbanco reveals that the best reason to take an interest in education is not for any economic or social gains, but “what it can do for individuals, in both calculable and incalculable ways” (465). The insightful statement resonated with me deeply and I wholeheartedly believe that by learning and exposing oneself to the best thoughts and ideas the world has ever produced is key to finding real happiness in

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