> I think your advice sounds great for people living in a Star Trek utopia where people only work to better themselves.
Or, you know, any country where you can study without ending up burdened with crippling student debt. There's a few of them; I went to art school in one.
4 years of pre-labour market years, yes. Instead, you gain perspective, connections and learn a thing or more about critical thinking and communication.
I say hogwash to these 'don't go to art school' opinions. Come to Europe, we have free education. Learn what you want, and be willing to pick up new things as you go along.
Many of our countries have free education for students coming from other EU member states, however there's usually a different set of fees. Take the current fees for the university and course I did: https://www.hw.ac.uk/undergraduate/computer-science.htm
> gain perspective, connections and learn a thing or more about critical thinking and communication.
There is literally not a single major that does not value or grant these things, to a greater or lesser degree. I have no comprehension of why people list these factors as to why "degree X of no obvious immediate value" has value. I always assume such conversations are about marginal value, insofar as any higher education will confer the above.
Connections in a world you won't work in and four years of studies in a maybe free educations system yes but where you will have to pay rent without having an income.
Or, you know, any country where you can study without ending up burdened with crippling student debt. There's a few of them; I went to art school in one.