Monday, December 9, 2013

Degreeism & The Call to Love

Don't you love the part when you think you're past something, then find out you're not.  At the beginning of this semester I thought I was going in for a graduation check, but instead found out I needed another three hours to graduate.

Already a month into the semester, my chances of finding a 3 hr credit that fit my specific needs were slim.  I ran home and frantically searched the online database looking for some goofy class to satisfy my degree requirements.  Fortunately, God is good and he led me to an 8-week online course, Intro to Human Relations.  I'll take it!  



Although the class required minimal effort on my part, I still learned a few things.  I learned on my own that Rachel Carson is an awesome role-model (a woman with several degrees,) and I definitely want to read more about her. 

I also learned about the Little Rock 9 and Rosa Parks.  


My eyes were opened to the reality of homelessness and the stereotypes that do NOT match with that.  


The entire class was about social injustice and stereotyping.  From feminism to racism and beyond...we learned the error of judging and how that only separates us and causes unnecessary hate.


For our final discussion in the class, we were asked to describe a social problem that we would like to see changed and describe how we would go about fixing it.  After only a few seconds of thought, my passion blazed with something I had been wanting to write about for a long time.  My post generated so much discussion within our class that I decided to share it here:  



Degreeism

I have a social problem that has bothered me for quite some time now.  I would like to start off by saying that I am obviously not against college or degree programs (as I am in them and have them,) but I am against the value people put in others who have or do not have a degree.
I feel like there is a huge social stigma against people who do not have college degrees.  It is as if we instantly deem them "unworthy" or less in the eyes of degree holders and business corporations.  While a degree can be quite helpful and make one feel accomplished, I in no way think that this deems someone worthy.  A person's worth, ideas, intelligence and integrity does not depend on a million dollar investment in a piece of paper.
A little over a year ago I decided to take some indefinite time off from school.  All I knew was that I needed to be in southwest Oklahoma, waitressing, because that was what God said.  So I moved south with only one semester left in my Bachelor's degree program.  
My family accused me of being on drugs.
My friends from OU dropped me completely and still do not talk to me hardly.
The community I grew up in shunned me and said I was no longer an example to their children.
Professors which I had strong ties with quit replying to my emails.
What hurt me the most out of all this was that I couldn't understand why me being at school changed who I was to other people.  This drove me nuts because I as a person hadn't changed any.  I still read my Bible everyday, I still painted and laughed and watched the same movies.  I loved the same people and ate the same foods, but for some reason I wasn't good enough for anyone anymore.  It really hurt me to see the shallow side of so many people I loved and trusted.  I still cared about all of these people and tried to assure them of this, but they didn't seem to want to hear it.
My parents eventually came around and then some time later I decided to come back and finish my degree.
What's funny is that several other relationships were "miraculously healed" when I made this decision.  
I don't associate with these relations anymore.  I've seen the injustice in the truth.

To fix this problem I think you need a lot more than a campaign informing people that no college is okay for some people, but that would be a good start.  I met so many wonderful people without degrees while I was working.  I consider these people more loyal and closer friends than any friends I have made at college.  I hate people for looking down upon these service industry individuals.  They have more character in one sleeve than thousands of people with money, degrees and fancy jobs.  And as our book pointed out, who isn't one phone call away from being homeless?


I am now 5 days away from graduating.  People ask me if I am excited, and the answer is yes.  Yes, I am excited to be done with school and yes I feel a level of accomplishment for sticking it out and receiving my degree.


But on the other hand I have learned a lot about the value of this thing since my year off.  I have learned that a degree isn't the answer to all my problems.  It is not what gives me value.  A degree doesn't fuel my passion or give me integrity.

This piece of paper will not change who I will end up marrying.
While it may open many doors for me, it doesn't change where I have come from.

I know that I work just as hard without it as I do with it, and my past employers aren't going to treat me any differently because I now have one.  I proved myself by being me. A degree didn't get me that.

I know that when I mention the phrase "bachelor's degree" in reference to me, I am now gaining a whole new level of respect from others.  I will have more job opportunities and I will statistically receive a much higher salary than someone without it.  I will probably gain friends and rewards because of it.  But, thankfully I was reminded about what is important in life when I stepped out of this circle for a year.

I am beyond grateful that I can say I have a degree.  I am blessed beyond measure with parents who paid for and pushed me to finish my schooling.  I treasure the friends I have made at school.  I loved the experiences and had some really fun times.

Norman is a great town and OU is a fantastic, top-tiered university.  If I had to do it all over again I'd do it the exact same way.  Plus, I'd hate to be on the other side of bedlam this year.  Joking.  But seriously.

I'm not complaining, I'm not harboring any anger, and I'm not looking for apologies, sympathies or envies.  I'm just writing.

I write to clear my head and I write to use my voice.

Call it what you want, but "Degreeism," as I casually call it, is a social injustice, just like racism or feminism.
No I'm not going to start a campaign or riot.

I'm just sayin' is all...

I'm sure if you're black you don't like people treating you differently because of it.  If you're a female you probably would be angry if you were refused a position based on your sex.  Stay at home Mom's, do you like it when people think you don't have a "real job"?


My point is that we all must unite in love.  It's like this awesome meme my cousin shared on Facebook the other day.  It points out that we are really all the same on the inside.  We all have feelings, goals, hurts, desires, longings, beliefs, etc.


So let's drop all the titles and love as Jesus does!  You see, greater than our choice of belief, major, or religion, is the call to love.

Mark 12:31
"The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
There is no commandment greater than these.


Colossians 2:2
"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love,
so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding,
in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ. 


John 13:34
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:
 just as I have loved you,
 you also are to love one another."

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