Three Levels Of Intelligence
I see three levels of intellectual hierarchy in the United States today in regards to education. Particularly higher education. They are:
Level 1 (lowest level) – people who do not consider going to college and never tried to go to college or don't have faith that they will do well in college, so they do not attempt it
Level 2- people who feel they CAN go to college and they hear all the hype and hearsay about how “you'll move up statistically in the economic ladder, have a safe job, get paid more” etc., and take the bait and attend.
Level 3- people who are aware of the hype and the hearsay, believe they can do well in college, have a high amount of original thought & discipline, and still decide to not go to college because they see the debt undergraduates (& for that matter, graduates) are incurring and decide that they can be (& are) as smart as, & in most cases smarter THAN, the majority of the people who attend college.
These are, in my opinion, the three intellectual hierarchical levels of intelligence in American society in regards to higher education. There are hardly any exceptions in this system as I have seen these three levels and classes of people come and go constantly in my day-to-day life.
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Where does this leave us? What can change, and must that change occur?
The answer to the above questions really depends on what amount of people fall into each category (level). For instance: if everyone fell into Level 1, we would have a nation of non-thinkers, non-dreamers, non-starters. If everyone fell into Level 2, we would have a completely indebted and subservient nation of obedient borrowers who could never be a part of nor create economic prosperity because they would be in the poor house and never improving because their student loan payments would always take up the majority of their disposable income. If everyone fell into Level 3, colleges would have to change curriculum and therefore abandon the old model, and be an authentic arena for original thought and debate.
At the moment, we have, say, a three-way-split. As long as there are people who choose not to challenge themselves intellectually; Level 1 will exist. As long as the American neurosis and propaganda of higher education to allegedly be “a great equalizer” exists, Level 2 will exist. As long as humans are humans and have natural intellectual reasoning and original ideas and challenge the status quo, Level 3 will exist.
The answer to the latter question is: Yes. Change must occur in society and the only way that change can occur is to A) lift up those who have low faith in their intellectual capabilities and ensure them that anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it. And B) inform and persuade others who are about to jump off a debt cliff into the higher education world that they can do MUCH greater things in life if they use their intellectual capabilities to the benefit of themselves, mankind, and foster within themselves a discipline for self-education.
Who brings about this change?
Those who belong to the Level 3 camp, of course. People who love independent thought, are highly intellectual, have confidence, are good at lifting up the spirits of others, and those who can sway the thoughts of those around them. It is their duty to do these things for the immediate and the greater social good.