|
{{B}}Text{{/B}} The American definition of success is largely one of acquiring wealth and a high material standard of living. It is not surprising, {{U}}(26) {{/U}}, that Americans have valued education for its monetary value. The belief is widespread in the United States{{U}} (27) {{/U}}the more schooling people have, the more money they will{{U}} (28) {{/U}}when they leave school. The belief is strongest{{U}} (29) {{/U}}the desirability of an undergraduate university degree, or a{{U}} (30) {{/U}}degree such as medicine or law{{U}} (31) {{/U}}the undergraduate degree. The money value of graduate degrees in{{U}} (32) {{/U}}such as art, history, or philosophy is not{{U}} (33) {{/U}}great. This belief in the monetary value of education is{{U}} (34) {{/U}}by research outcomes on income. Ben Wattenberg, a social scientist, estimates that in the{{U}} (35) {{/U}}of a lifetime a man{{U}} (36) {{/U}}a college school diploma in 1972 could earn about $380,000 more than a man who{{U}} (37) {{/U}}had a high school diploma. Perhaps this helps to explain survey{{U}} (38) {{/U}}which showed that Americans who{{U}} (39) {{/U}}they had lived their lives differently in some way regretted{{U}} (40) {{/U}}of all that they did not get more education. The regret is{{U}} (41) {{/U}}by those who have made{{U}} (42) {{/U}}to the top and by those who have not. {{U}}(43) {{/U}}a man like Douglas Fraser, the president of the United Auto Workers Union, a nationally known and successful leader, was{{U}} (44) {{/U}}by regrets that he did not climb higher on the{{U}} (45) {{/U}}ladder. |