Trade schools should definitely focus on ROI, and a lot more people should attend them. The idea of the public university is to bring a traditionally aristocratic practice - the devotion of several years of one’s young life to not-necessarily-practical intellectual pursuits - to the middle class. I think our civilization would lose something worthwhile by returning this practice to the exclusive domain of rich families. Much the same as if we sold off all our public parks for development.
The issue is that we have democratized not only the class background part but also the “intellectual pursuits” part. College should be a lot more selective and a lot more rigorous; only a small minority of students have any business attending. The rest can get their credentialing and coming-of-age ceremony in an ROI focused trade school.
See also the excellent book "Shop Class as Soulcraft" for a thorough examination of skilled trades as an under-appreciated and vital aspect of our economy and culture.
> The idea of the public university is to bring a traditionally aristocratic practice - the devotion of several years of one’s young life to not-necessarily-practical intellectual pursuits - to the middle class
The entire idea that spending 4 years learning useless knowledge is somehow valuable is completely mistaken bullshit.
Aristocrats could get away with it because they were rich but there is 0 evidence this practice brought fundamental value to them or society other than serving as an expensive status signal.
The issue is that we have democratized not only the class background part but also the “intellectual pursuits” part. College should be a lot more selective and a lot more rigorous; only a small minority of students have any business attending. The rest can get their credentialing and coming-of-age ceremony in an ROI focused trade school.