Good evening everyone! After watching the TED Talk Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the Learning Revolution, Some of the things that stuck with me was his assertion that today's education is based on manufactured conformity and allows little time or energy for passions and individual growth. In his speech, he elaborates on how many schools push students into college without bothering to see if they are ready or willing to do so, and how that can affect the overall effectiveness of these college students. What I appreciated about his speech was how he pointed out the degree of "college cramming" that goes on in the education system and how this is not necessarily the best course for a student's educational and spiritual development. Allowing students to be able to explore their own options and learn their own way is the first step in creating an independent and passionate individual.

A Brand Name World

In “The Passion Project”, an important concept is the influence of conformity in society and its effects on how a person leads their life. In the recent phenomenon of brand name educations, the notion of society’s demands and expectations are exposed. In many schools across the country, prestige colleges, STEM, and high paying careers are emphasized to no end, while alternative life choices are often discouraged. Instead of opening students to alternative career and educational paths such as trade schools, community college, and the military, students are indoctrinated to accept only brand name schools as the legitimate path to a shining future. In Paul Sullivan’s New York Times article, “Measuring College Prestige Vs. Cost of Enrollment”, he explores the origin of the college success myth by observing that, “Parents have come to see the elite universities as the only way to give their children a chance at success. They feel jobs are hard to come by and companies are only going to look to hire at the elite universities” (2). Because of this idea that prestigious colleges guarantee successful careers, many people have come to the conclusion that non-brand name colleges guarantee non-successful careers. This line of reasoning reinforces the college myth and alienates parents and students from considering other educational paths outside the prestiged norm. In addition, Paul Sullivan examines the evidence used to discredit the college myth through research that found that “Equally smart students had about the same earnings whether or not they went to top tier colleges” (3). This study reinforces the argument that a brand name college does not necessarily guarantee a better future in the long run. Despite the evidence, however, society and educational institutions continue to stress that possessing an education from a big name campus is synonymous with success. In the midst of this indoctrination it is important to remember that it is not the college that determines our future, but rather the actions of the students who make do and overcome.

           

           

Good day everyone, my name is Michael Yee and welcome to my blog. Mostly my blog reflects some of the things I’ve done in my life, from Track and Field, to the Marine Corps, and my keen interest in nature. I hope that it will serve as a successful creative outlet for the long road ahead.

 I am extremely passionate about the philosophy of service and self-improvement. Dr. King famously said, “If a man hasn’t found something worth dying for, he is not fit to live.” On that same line of thinking, I believe that there is always a higher cause that a person can and should strive for, whether it be civil rights or national security. Throughout my life most of my mentors and role models had a philosophy of personal growth that heavily shaped my worldview today. Their guidance taught me that doing less than your best is a waste of your time and talent, and that it is also shows disrespect to everyone who counts on you.

Currently I am enrolled in Chabot College to earn my AA degree and transfer to a 4 year college, hopefully a UC, to study criminal justice. From this class, I hope to get where I need to be academically, so that I can compete at the 4 year college level. I truly believe that my personal philosophies will help me through the next four years towards graduation, because if I apply myself completely to my studies, then short of an act of God, I can’t fail.