<p>Yeah, studying engineering until 3 AM 7 days a week is totally thrilling. I was gonna go skydiving the other day, but then I said wait, I could totally read an engineering textbook and get that same rush!</p>
<p>First off, how do you know that they were engineers? Not every student at MIT is an engineer.</p>
<p>Secondly, I would compare it more to joining an elite military force. Think about trying to join the Navy SEALS. I am quite sure that nobody actually enjoys the SEAL BUD/S selection process, and especially not SEAL Hell week. So why does anybody in the military endure it? Why not just choose a relatively easy military specialty? Because some people want to see just how good they can be.</p>
<p>So you're comparing the bravest men on earth, who risk their lives for their country on a daily basis, to someone who gets multiple degrees from MIT? Rather inflated view of MIT if you ask me.</p>
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So you're comparing the bravest men on earth, who risk their lives for their country on a daily basis, to someone who gets multiple degrees from MIT? Rather inflated view of MIT if you ask me.
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<p>I'm simply saying that a lot of people do things for the challenge of it. I personally find it odd that people would attempt to perform grueling tasks like run in marathons, when they're never going to win any prizes in it (i.e. they're not even close to being the world's best marathon runners). I've seen people running marathons, and they look like they're in pain. But hey, if you want to do that, I'm not going to fault you for it. </p>
<p>By your logic, nobody should ever try to study anything difficult. Everybody should try to be as lazy as possible.</p>
<p>Hmm, interesting. I don't seem to remember saying anything about studying difficult subject matters. I merely pointed out that comparing skydiving and navy seals to people who pursue multiple degrees is laughable. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe those people who have double majors at MIT are just as brave and heroic as our country's navy seals.</p>
<p>Look, no analogy is perfect. That's the whole point of an analogy - to provide you with a alternative scenario that shares some (but by no means ALL) characteristics of a particular example you are trying to illustrate. The only perfect analogy is always, by definition, the original example itself.</p>
<p>But the general point stands. People do things for their own self-satisfaction, not necessarily to make money. That is, of course, unless you are advocating that everybody just be lazy and always do the easiest coursework in the easiest school they can find. If that's your position, then by all means, come right out and say it.</p>
<p>No, I'm with you. People should become navy seals and learn to skydive.</p>
<p>But they shouldn't want to study hard, right? In other words, people should want to be lazy, right?</p>
<p>Are you saying navy seals and skydivers are lazy? I totally disagree.</p>
<p>Are you putting words in my mouth? I didn't say that.</p>
<p>I am simply asking you whether you believe people should want to study hard or not? Yes or not.</p>
<p>And I'm asking you to back up your claim that navy seals and skydivers are lazy. I don't agree with you on that point and I think if you're going to make such wild claims you should at least bring some data to the table as proof.</p>
<p>Well, if you want to endure the most gruesome physical or mental activities just for personal satisfaction, then by all means go ahead. </p>
<p>If you spend 23+ years of your life trying to obtain a PhD from MIT and then end up teaching at a high school or a JC where a bachelor or masters is sufficient enough to teach at those institutions repsectively, then by all means I will tell those individuals to go right ahead. </p>
<p>Let me give you a scenario: You graduate from medical school, get your medical license after god knows how many years, but then decide to at the end that you would rather like to teach Pre-med subjects at a JC. Do you think that is worth it? </p>
<p>My point is that some ppl would and do embark upon challenging methods to get ahead in life. But, at the end, with all of your hard work, you embark upon a profession that you are really overly qualified for, do you think that it was worth spending all the time, work and $$ to obtain such a qualification? </p>
<p>Personally, if I wanted to teach at a high school or JC, I wouldn't go to the extreme limits of obtaining a PhD from an elite tech school such as MIT or Caltech (where it is known that students spend days on end at libraries or even literally sleep in labs for god knows how many days) when obtaining a BS or MS is sufficient enough. Just my 2 cents.</p>
<p>Sakky, let me then ask you a personal question. You mentioned that you have a brother who is currently attending Caltech. Well, let's assume that your brother survives the torture that Caltech imposes upon it's students and your brother obtains his PhD upon graduation. What if, after graduation, your brother wanted to teach at a high school? Would you support him in that decision?</p>