Because we live in a very unequal society, things like education that offer a shred of economic security and maintenance of the middle class life are things that people will pay almost anything for.
Unfortunately, most of that effort is noisy but pointless zero-sum re-arranging of positions on the socio-economic ladder, the only beneficiaries being academics, textbook publishers, and campus property developers.
The solution: equality. Guarantee everybody a base level of economic security. From there, give people the freedom to pursue their real passions and interests, rather than waste their lives scrambling over the limited number of economically secure socio-economic positions our dysfunctional society currently offers.
Unfortunately, most of that effort is noisy but pointless zero-sum re-arranging of positions on the socio-economic ladder, the only beneficiaries being academics, textbook publishers, and campus property developers.
The solution: equality. Guarantee everybody a base level of economic security. From there, give people the freedom to pursue their real passions and interests, rather than waste their lives scrambling over the limited number of economically secure socio-economic positions our dysfunctional society currently offers.