Post-Graduate disorder: A Real Study on Degrees, Social Experience, and Limiting Beliefs.

Enlighten Company

After higher education and post-graduate studies became more accessible to the population, an illusion was created that numerous degrees are sufficient to achieve professional success.

Of course, they do matter, that is not under discussion. But what is the threshold between personal value and perception versus real importance? This is the object of our study.

The research focused on young individuals with professional backgrounds between the years 2020-2023.

Our findings are preliminary conclusions of a professional adaptation movement in the new business reality and market needs for entrepreneurial capital of up to 100M USD.

The youth is experiencing an epiphany. The spirit behind the advertisement "get a degree and secure a raise salary" is casting talents into frustration and anxiety.

Let’s make a parenthesis: a large portion of Brazilian educational groups commit to scholarship education. They offer an illusory discount to collect tuition fees from students.

The objective is to transfer financial resources from the students to the educational groups since education is a business, a good one at that.

Of course, there are institutions that prioritize quality, but they are becoming increasingly rare.

The teacher is silenced in their right to teach and often faces reprimands or insolence from students who understand the capitalist role very well:

- “I pay your salary, so you must serve me.”

Right? Wrong! Very wrong.

These same educational groups, whose capital is the priority, set aside part of their profits to disseminate the fragile idea that a title, a diploma, and some academic recommendations are enough to transform theory into excellent professional practice.

It’s fallacy and deception. It’s propaganda of the worst kind.

Theorizing without practice is unproductive and represents a student tragedy in terms of understanding the role of professionals in this century and how their guidance should be geared towards a market in crisis, prepared for an experience beyond the confines of paper.

I want to present two real examples that I collected to develop this text.

?

First Example: Discomfort and absence of a student advisor or mentor.

?

A few days ago, I was in conversation with a young person who intends to pursue a post-graduate degree in a specific area of expertise.

I asked why they made that choice because lato sensu courses essentially promote professional leverage.

During the conversation, I tried to clarify to the young person that these types of courses are meant to provide quick knowledge (a snack) for practical application, unlike a stricto sensu post-graduate degree where we study the origin and question the mold.

The answer was simple and direct: "Because I like the subject."

?

Now, there's nothing wrong with that. But in the end, I asked, "Wouldn't it be prudent to invest this financial investment in an education that can lead to a better salary, position, and environment?"

I made sure that the young person wasn't interested in changing the course of their career because in that case, the academic "snack" could make sense.

Since the answer was that they would continue with their current career, I suggested another course because studying out of dilettantism at this moment of professional growth and development seems like the worst investment in the world.

This approach elicited responses with elements of certain pamphlet-like indoctrination from the academic groups.

In the end, I felt a sense of peace by clarifying this to the young person, who said they would reflect on the matter.

I hope they use their money responsibly and appropriately for the aspirations of their career, the moment, and investment in practical knowledge.

?

Second Example: Limiting beliefs and broadening perspective. A challenging and internal dialogue.

?

The second example was an essay conducted with a more self-aware individual in terms of practice, with little mastery of their function but operationally competent. One of the best I've seen in action.

The objective here was to develop critical thinking about themselves, their career, how they perceive life, and the impact it has on their personal development.

The individual in question works with innovation, and nothing is better than their own experience to obtain important answers to the questions they frequently have but cannot translate into tactical levels.

The young person aspires to a position, title, status, admiration, and salary, with some desire for leadership.

So, a challenge was presented to them to sensually experience the pleasures that consumers of products and services feel because there is nothing better than living it firsthand to understand reality and how the market takes advantage of it.

The method used was that of exposure to reality.

The example is classic: "If I want to know how a consumer feels when buying a phone, I decide to buy one not out of 'necessity' but to ensure the integral and pure experience of how we conceive, develop, and offer a product to society."

The proposed challenge exposed the individual to a confrontation with their beliefs because there is a strong conviction that money in fixed income is a capacitor of financial "security," given that the psychological trigger was the living conditions of their family of origin.

During the two-week analysis, the young person became restless but held strong to their beliefs. In this case, their commitment to a kind of imposed goal limited their experience.

It wasn't possible to tell the individual that if they overcame their belief, they would receive an immediate raise and promotion because that would invalidate the search for genuine talent.

The conclusions were that fixation on a goal that could be achieved with some delay, combined with aversion to risk, prevented the individual from experiencing new sensations, in addition to the financial bonus.

This led to a search for professionals who are more prepared to assume tactical positions instead of experimenting with those who are already part of the organization because there is a need for maturity regarding potential, risk, time, and knowledge.

These two examples were used to study what we need as a company, as professionals, and as a society. Furthermore, how, and why we coexist with individuals. What is stimulating, how we hide from challenges, and especially our aversion to risk.

The two examples are interesting and intentionally complementary for the purposes of this talent identification research.

The individuals failed, even when encouraged to challenge ideologies, academic indoctrination, or limitations within themselves.

This small social experiment made me reflect on how advertising influences the decision-making power of young individuals who have time, whether to make mistakes or make the right choices.

In the first case, there is a biased belief that a degree and education are sufficient, even when disconnected from the intended career. In this case, there was no doublethink regarding the financial investment because paying for education, whatever it may be, is an untouchable reality. This individual's "truth" is caused by the indoctrination coming from the highly commercialized tone of Brazilian education.

In the second case, it's the transformation of an operational professional with the potential to become tactical but who hindered themselves when faced with a challenge because the belief that money in savings is more important undermined the attempt to show that life experiences at the right moment are essential for the creation and development of critical thinking.

In both cases, individuals idealize realities that are beyond their control but are products of their beliefs.

We're not debating beliefs or imposing right or wrong.

What is admitted in both scenarios is the style and behavior of young Brazilian professionals.

In both cases, we see that there are no extreme financial difficulties or barriers that would prevent an honest conclusion.

Both young individuals could examine themselves more carefully, whether through connections with mentors or simple therapy. This would help them criticize their thoughts and recognize their potential hidden behind indoctrination and belief.

It seems that the idealization of young Brazilian professionals who have recently graduated is something immediate, deluded by a set of unrealistic advertisements and references about themselves, money, and careers that won't pave solid paths.

Within this framework, they will remain operational or gain positions and prestige without essence, which is harmful to society.

It's like having a heart operation performed by an orthopedic surgeon.

In other words, the chances of remaining in operational positions or having a poorly developed mindset are higher for those who don't allow themselves to develop critical thinking and overcome limitations in their personal beliefs.

But who educates and has the courage to go beyond books and profits in the current world?

I do because it's terrible to see wasted talent. The youth doesn't like it. They wrinkle their noses, especially the current generation that understands but doesn't know. They're knowledgeable but don't exercise critical thinking. It's all ready-made, assembled, like a production line.

It's the duty of teachers, educators, parents, mentors, leaders, and policymakers to provide guidance and mentorship to avoid disoriented professionals or those indoctrinated into a line of thought that isn't dominant because living with indoctrinated minds means losing an entire society.

Of course, not everyone will be able to reach the highest and best level of critical thinking.

In addition to receiving increasingly attractive compensation, they have the chance to write their names in history as professionals who dared to innovate, creating a legacy for future generations.

The reflection and analysis considered individuals with degrees, stable jobs, working with products and services with high potential to change the status quo of the society they are a part of.

To the reader, a conclusion: set your goals but be tolerant of small deviations as they represent the chance to establish new boundaries for limited thinking due to beliefs.

On the other hand, reflecting on the return on educational investment can be important to avoid a pointless collection of titles without any purpose, whether economic or social.

?

?

?

?

?