HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

Stossel: The College Scam

Views:846
@ReasonVids

Government pushing college harms America.

---------
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/reasontv
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reason.Magaz...
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reason
Subscribe to our podcast at iTunes: https://goo.gl/az3a7a

Reason is the planet's leading source of news, politics, and culture from a libertarian perspective. Go to reason.com for a point of view you won't get from legacy media and old left-right opinion magazines.
---------

A new book makes the case against education. Who would argue against education?

Economics professor Bryan Caplan. He tells John Stossel that "what we need to do is to go back to a world where college is not so accessible."

That's because most people don't learn much in college. Studies find that a third of people haven't learned anything detectable after four years in college.

Yet government pours about $80 billion a year into college subsidies.

"Taxpayers ought to know that they're getting ripped off," Caplan tells Stossel.

He says taxpayer money mostly helps more people signal their ability to conform to college expectations.

When people get fancier degrees, says Caplan, "their income generally goes up...but the reason...is not really that college is pouring tons of job skills into you. The reason is that it's impressive."

Lots of signaling, he points out, is bad for society.

"Imagine that you were at a concert, everyone's sitting down and you want to see better," Caplan says. "What can you do? Well, you can stand up, and of course then you'll see better. Now, it does not follow though that if everyone stands up, everyone sees better."

As more people get degrees, more employers demand that "signal."

Employers now require degrees for "jobs where it used to be crazy to think they would need a college degree," like being a high-end waiter, says Caplan.

Stossel pushes back: Surely college is also about learning.

Caplan responds that if students wanted to learn they can just walk on to a campus and attend class. Caplan says professors are happy to let the student attend. But few students do that.

"In people's bones they realize that what really counts is that diploma," Caplan argues.

Caplan does think college is great for a few people like him—tenured professors. He can never be fired, gets paid well, and only has to teach classes for five hours a week.

"That's a scam," Stossel responds, "we're paying so much money for people like you to teach five hours."

"Yeah. Well, I'm a whistleblower," Caplan quips.

Caplan says we should stop subsidizing the scam: "The wisest solution...would be if government just got out."

Stossel agrees: Separate school and state.

The views expressed in this video are solely those of John Stossel; his independent production company, Stossel Productions; and the people he interviews. The claims and opinions set forth in the video and accompanying text are not necessarily those of Reason.

libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
,
john stossel
,
bryan caplan
,
education
,
college
,
tuition
,
subsidized
,
government
,
university
    Thumbnail for YouTube Won't Host Our Homemade Gun Video. So We Posted It on PornHub Instead.4:19
    YouTube Won't Host Our Homemade Gun Video. So We Posted It on PornHub Instead.
    ReasonVids
    1048 views
    Thumbnail for Shikha Dalmia Discusses Immigration at 2011 Students for Liberty International Conference33:51
    Shikha Dalmia Discusses Immigration at 2011 Students for Liberty International Conference
    ReasonVids
    882 views
    Thumbnail for The Dark Trump Rises0:46
    The Dark Trump Rises
    ReasonVids
    879 views
    Thumbnail for Who do you hate '08?0:47
    Who do you hate '08?
    ReasonVids
    979 views
    Thumbnail for Want to Hack Your Own Body? Neo.Life's Jane Metcalfe Is Making It Easier Than Ever10:40
    Want to Hack Your Own Body? Neo.Life's Jane Metcalfe Is Making It Easier Than Ever
    ReasonVids
    964 views
    Thumbnail for Selling Out with Salvador Dali: The Surrealist's Unapologetic Love of Commerce4:21
    Selling Out with Salvador Dali: The Surrealist's Unapologetic Love of Commerce
    ReasonVids
    897 views
    Thumbnail for Niggers Dance Around Yelling Pejoratives at Judge after Stealing Cars2:25
    Niggers Dance Around Yelling Pejoratives at Judge after Stealing Cars
    AOU
    1219 views
    Thumbnail for How Obama Revived the Freedom Movement: John J. Pitney, Jr. on the libertarian electorate6:48
    How Obama Revived the Freedom Movement: John J. Pitney, Jr. on the libertarian electorate
    ReasonVids
    1047 views
    Thumbnail for Who is this American shithead telling Australia to vote Yes? What's it to do with him?0:16
    Who is this American shithead telling Australia to vote Yes? What's it to do with him?
    bestofupgoat
    546 views
    Thumbnail for I Built a TRICKY Mini Golf Track to Challenge The Dev! | Kosmonaut19:38
    I Built a TRICKY Mini Golf Track to Challenge The Dev! | Kosmonaut
    invidious
    294 views
    Thumbnail for Democrat Jared Polis: Most Libertarian Governor?6:25
    Democrat Jared Polis: Most Libertarian Governor?
    ReasonVids
    1029 views
    Thumbnail for Native Americans burn netanyahu effigy0:40
    Native Americans burn netanyahu effigy
    bestofupgoat
    170 views
    Thumbnail for Steve Simpson Discusses Sampson v. Buescher2:39
    Steve Simpson Discusses Sampson v. Buescher
    IJvids
    873 views
    Thumbnail for The Coddling of the American Mind: How Overprotective Parenting Led to Fragility on Campus54:16
    The Coddling of the American Mind: How Overprotective Parenting Led to Fragility on Campus
    ReasonVids
    956 views
    Thumbnail for Eisenhower's Military-Industrial Complex Speech in the Age of Coronavirus2:18
    Eisenhower's Military-Industrial Complex Speech in the Age of Coronavirus
    ReasonVids
    837 views
    Thumbnail for công khai danh sách những người trúng thưởng của Chan Báu. #thanh0000 | Thành 000041:54
    công khai danh sách những người trúng thưởng của Chan Báu. #thanh0000 | Thành 0000
    invidious
    44 views
    Thumbnail for celebrating valentine's day! 🍓☕️ a vlog :) | toomuchzozo16:15
    celebrating valentine's day! 🍓☕️ a vlog :) | toomuchzozo
    invidious
    35 views
    Thumbnail for Halo 2 Classic - Team Slayer - Ascension (XBOX ONE) | Mystical Gaming7:31
    Halo 2 Classic - Team Slayer - Ascension (XBOX ONE) | Mystical Gaming
    invidious
    418 views
    Thumbnail for When upgoat suddenly and inexplicably gains 50 new lurkers0:11
    When upgoat suddenly and inexplicably gains 50 new lurkers
    bestofupgoat
    176 views
    Thumbnail for Free Boob Jobs for Teachers & Other K-12 Clusterf*cks6:03
    Free Boob Jobs for Teachers & Other K-12 Clusterf*cks
    ReasonVids
    972 views
    Thumbnail for Croatian telling Africans to fuck off at football game1:06
    Croatian telling Africans to fuck off at football game
    bestofvid8
    568 views
    Thumbnail for Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey! Coming March 15! Trailer 10:53
    Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey! Coming March 15! Trailer 1
    ReasonVids
    876 views
    Thumbnail for Surveillance State: Maryland is Listening to You8:12
    Surveillance State: Maryland is Listening to You
    ReasonVids
    983 views
    Thumbnail for Tweeting Around Egypt's Web Blackout: Meet John Scott-Railton4:51
    Tweeting Around Egypt's Web Blackout: Meet John Scott-Railton
    ReasonVids
    934 views
    Thumbnail for Cracking the Education Monopoly: Los Angeles parents demand choice - and get it.2:51
    Cracking the Education Monopoly: Los Angeles parents demand choice - and get it.
    ReasonVids
    878 views

points

Permalink
Reply
libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
,
john stossel
,
bryan caplan
,
education
,
college
,
tuition
,
subsidized
,
government
,
university
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle