Ok yes my statement applies more to fields like CS and math and not to fields that require a lot of physical equipment (eg. chemistry).
I'm not claiming that the best way to learn is alone in your room, I don't even believe that to be the case. The best way to learn is by working with people who know more than you. That is generally what happens when you work a full-time job. Sure in school you can learn from professors, but (1) what you learn is often divorced from the reality of professional work (2) the format of listening to lectures, completing busywork, and taking multiple-choice exams on random information could be Googled isn't the most efficient way to learn.
Yes I know it's difficult to find work without a degree because companies unfortunately discriminate against applicants without degrees. I wouldn't be opposed to a law that banned employers from discriminating against non-degree holders unless the job clearly requires someone with the expertise gained from the degree (eg. medicine, not law or marketing).
I'm not claiming that the best way to learn is alone in your room, I don't even believe that to be the case. The best way to learn is by working with people who know more than you. That is generally what happens when you work a full-time job. Sure in school you can learn from professors, but (1) what you learn is often divorced from the reality of professional work (2) the format of listening to lectures, completing busywork, and taking multiple-choice exams on random information could be Googled isn't the most efficient way to learn.
Yes I know it's difficult to find work without a degree because companies unfortunately discriminate against applicants without degrees. I wouldn't be opposed to a law that banned employers from discriminating against non-degree holders unless the job clearly requires someone with the expertise gained from the degree (eg. medicine, not law or marketing).