Why people recommend it
The Case against Education by Bryan Caplan is an economics book that argues a major function of a college degree is to act as a social signal demonstrating an individual's employability and social worth. On Freakonomics Radio, Stephen Dubner discussed the book across multiple episodes, noting that the economist posits this signaling mechanism has driven credential inflation within the modern economy. Dubner also interviewed the author directly on Freakonomics Radio, referencing the full title, The Case Against Education: Why the Education System is a Waste of Time and Money. Listeners frequently recommend this book for its provocative critique of traditional schooling and its challenge to the conventional wisdom surrounding the financial and societal returns of higher education. The podcast conversations underscore Caplan's controversial premise that much of what students learn in school does not directly translate to workplace productivity, but rather serves primarily to sort individuals based on preexisting traits.
Who recommended it
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 3
“The economist Brian Kaplan in a book called "The Case Against Education" argues that one major function of a college degree is to act as a social signal—a way to tell the world that you are worth hiring, worth being friends with, perhaps worth being intimidated by. In Kaplan’s view, this has driven a kind of credential inflation, where more”
“The economist Bryan Kaplan, in a book called The Case Against Education, argues that one major function of a college degree is to act as a social signal—a way to tell the world that you are worth hiring, worth being friends with, perhaps worth being intimidated by. In Kaplan's view, this has driven a kind of credential inflation, where more”
“So, Brian, a few years ago, you wrote a book called "The Case Against Education: Why the Education System is a Waste of Time and Money."”