You can throw a stick and I'm pretty sure it will land on someone with a university degree. Gone are the days where higher education was merely the pursuit of the elite and the privileged. This is one belief that is reiterated to me by my family all the time. In fact trying to formulate a coherent argument, based on the fact that graduating from a Russel group university shouldn't be the only thing that defines my 23 years of existence, is something that my Mum wishes I keep to myself and refrain from announcing in the presence of others. 'Education, Education Education!' is all my Mum would rally on about, like a labour party backbencher. Any plans to divert from the journey set for me, i.e. to travel the world, in her opinion was the equivalent of declaring I had given up further education all together. My path had been set and that was it!
My path. My prerogative. My life. My choice.
Yeah right....
My path had been decided the day I was born. My prerogative had been disregarded a long time ago. My life was in hands of my Mother as long as I lived under her roof. And my choice, was simply an illusion of such.
I dunno. Maybe it's an ethnic minority thing. You know, the whole 'our-parents-came-here-against-the-odds-to-make-something-of-themselves-and-to-provide-for-the-bevvy-of-siblings-back-in-the-homeland'. And all that jazz. The emphasis to graduate from a good university, get a well paid job and generally succeed in life, goes beyond a simple personal individual quest to better yourself. It's the first point of reference in any conversation with relatives of family friends who you haven't seen in a while. And it's something I realized that I can never run away from. When you graduate with a 1st or a 2:1, your family graduates with you. When you get that great graduate job in the city, your family gets employed too. I used to view this whole obsession with education as a futile assimilation of imperialist aspirations. A way of separating ourselves from those who weren't afforded the 'golden' opportunity to go to university and further stagnate the gap between the rich and the poor. Another way of subtly saying 'I'm better than you'.
Today, my opinions are less subversive and rebellious. Old age is taming my world view or maybe I've simply given up. With the onslaught of a conservative government willing to introduce a 'graduate tax' and the lack of opportunity for graduates employment-wise in the UK and probably globally. In this gladiator pit of graduates all competing for the same position, my education, like others has unwittingly become my weapon of choice. Par consequence, I'm having to kit myself in some better armor.
Mum knows best.
My path. My prerogative. My life. My choice.
Yeah right....
My path had been decided the day I was born. My prerogative had been disregarded a long time ago. My life was in hands of my Mother as long as I lived under her roof. And my choice, was simply an illusion of such.
I dunno. Maybe it's an ethnic minority thing. You know, the whole 'our-parents-came-here-against-the-odds-to-make-something-of-themselves-and-to-provide-for-the-bevvy-of-siblings-back-in-the-homeland'. And all that jazz. The emphasis to graduate from a good university, get a well paid job and generally succeed in life, goes beyond a simple personal individual quest to better yourself. It's the first point of reference in any conversation with relatives of family friends who you haven't seen in a while. And it's something I realized that I can never run away from. When you graduate with a 1st or a 2:1, your family graduates with you. When you get that great graduate job in the city, your family gets employed too. I used to view this whole obsession with education as a futile assimilation of imperialist aspirations. A way of separating ourselves from those who weren't afforded the 'golden' opportunity to go to university and further stagnate the gap between the rich and the poor. Another way of subtly saying 'I'm better than you'.
Today, my opinions are less subversive and rebellious. Old age is taming my world view or maybe I've simply given up. With the onslaught of a conservative government willing to introduce a 'graduate tax' and the lack of opportunity for graduates employment-wise in the UK and probably globally. In this gladiator pit of graduates all competing for the same position, my education, like others has unwittingly become my weapon of choice. Par consequence, I'm having to kit myself in some better armor.
Mum knows best.
Ooohh yes compelling topic - the bits about your family graduating/being employed with you definitely hit home. For me it's not always so much an idea that has been forced upon me by my family but kind of something I forced on myself. I can probably go on to discuss extensively how that came about but I digress.
ReplyDeleteI definitely feel that my pride is dependent on academics and my career, and that's why I get so worked up when things don't go the way I wish they would go. Your post does make me even more reluctant to let go of the rigid idea that 'your material achievements in this world define you' though.
I definitely agree; there is an issue with back home families and the ideas of higher education and what is expected of you.
ReplyDeleteI dont think it is necessarily a back home thing, both my parents are from the Caribbean but they didnt persuade me to go to university. University was suggested to me but never forced upon me. It was my choice to go to university and most of the time i wonder why i wanted to. University is now a norm, everyone is going to university regardless of there financial backgrounds. But the problem is a degree doesn't mean much anymore because everyone is getting one. Now you need experience or something special about you or your not going to get a job. I personaly think university is a money making scheme! I think education is a wonderful thing but it is exploited because you don't always learn what is necessary to get you a job in the field!
ReplyDeleteA very good point Anne! And a controversial take on the University programme. I definitely think having a degree is nothing special any more, and that so many people go on to get jobs they're either overqualified for or are incapable of doing!
ReplyDelete