Many of us agonize over the impact higher education will have on our lives; we’re spoon-fed a narrative of “do well, be successful,” yet it’s turning out that intelligence isn’t the easily-measurable quantity we’ve structured our school system around.
Google has just come out and articulated why it doesn’t always see a highclass rank (or a degree from a super-fancy-pants school, for that matter) as an assumed asset — and it turns out the logic isn’t that far off from why we personally never liked those snobs anyway.
Arrogance leading to procrastination, reward without hard work, and limited thinking are the main sources of Google’s hesitance. Another not-mentioned, but imperative consideration is a candidate's financial background in relation to their earned versus unearned wealth.
For much of America, our image of success is inextricably tied to wealth — and has succeeded in granting many of those the most powerful positions in the world, without ever having to prove the true contents of their noggins or their ability to competently (or ethically!) possess said positions.
As Google knows, intelligence and IQ don’t always correlate, and a drive to learn is essential to expanding the boundaries of knowledge. But for many of our richest members of society, life has become but a game of outward appearance rather than inward achievement. Wealth, rather than intelligence, has become the true power ruling our culture.
How does this impact those struggling the worst? Some flounder, others thrive — and those struggling spirits are often the ones who make the greatest investments.
But let's be honest. Google isn’t just doing all of this for that warm-fuzzy feeling of being a Good Samaritan either — more innovative people make more innovative products; the better the sell, the higher the price and the greater Google's wallet — and empire — becomes. We agree that adversity can breed strength, and therefore those who struggle sometimes become the most invaluable. More opportunities for those who don’t fit in the highly-questionable “smart” box are not only important — they’re essential if we are to push the boundaries of innovative creativity.
Too bad most of the world doesn't agree with Google (or us). What else is new!
