Social constructionism is a social and political concept referred to as constructing a reality based on values, morals, culture, perspectives, or rather shared assumptions. As a matter of fact, in the world, there exists thousands of socially constructed realities. With these similar assumptions we create our own realities. The more people agree to this shared reality, the more real it seems. This is primarily why your ‘world view’ differs from those living on a different continent. Alternatively, your reality differs from others as well and it can be changed as your social construction of the world around you changes.
I realized and later analyzed the many ways my own personal reality was constructed. I analyzed how my standards of life, education and relationships have been shaped by people around me and those I was influenced by. I remember when I was a kid, I had a lot of aspirations but they were not the same as the ones I have today. I wanted to be a dancer and that is how I was going to make my living, dancing around the world. I wanted to save the world, with my dancing of course. As I grew older, I told myself that was not “realistic” and I need to be an academic and be successful with a real job. It was not until I was much older and browsing on social media seeing actual dancers in the world inspiring others to dance, I discovered what had happened. I shaped my reality based on what I was being influenced by at the time. If my world was influenced by dancers, I would have been a dancer. Likewise, there are greater constructed concepts that have caused waves in the world.
Higher education is another social construct that has changed overtime. In the past, it reflected worldviews, progressive thought and inquisitive minds. Today, it possesses the power to make or break your career aspirations. In fact, some universities have become a business, offering particular courses at inconvenient times to attract a wide range of students or customers rather. Not all universities are considered credible, there are in fact many universities and institutions that are a money-making business rather than fulfilling the purpose of educating students. Hence, why most reputable companies and the economy on the larger have begun to place less value on higher education and more value on gaining experience and other forms of applicable knowledge. We think it is unfair to study for 8 years for a bachelors and a masters and be told we lack experience however when we look at the real-world issue of incompetent graduates, we understand why experience is necessary.
I have analyzed the many ways my own personal reality was constructed. I analyzed how my standards of life, education and relationships have been shaped by people around me and those I was influenced by. I remember when I was a kid, I had a lot of aspirations but they were not the same as the ones I have today. I wanted to be a dancer and that is how I was going to make my living, dancing around the world. I wanted to save the world, with my dancing of course. As I grew older, I told myself that was not “realistic” and I need to be an academic and be successful with a real job. It was not until I was much older and browsing on social media seeing actual dancers in the world inspiring others to dance, I discovered what had happened. I shaped my reality based on what I was being influenced by at the time. If my world was influenced by dancers, I would have been a dancer. Likewise, there are greater constructed concepts that have caused waves in the world.
Higher education is another social construct that has changed overtime. In the past, it reflected worldviews, progressive thought and inquisitive minds. Today, it possesses the power to make or break your career aspirations. In fact, some universities have become a business, offering particular courses at inconvenient times to attract a wide range of students or customers rather. Not all universities are considered credible, there are in fact many universities and institutions that are a money-making business rather than fulfilling the purpose of educating students. Hence, why most reputable companies and the economy on the larger have begun to place less value on higher education and more value on gaining experience and other forms of applicable knowledge. We think it is unfair to study for 8 years for a bachelors and a masters and be told we lack experience. However, when we look at the wicked problem of incompetent graduates, we can come to understand why experience is necessary.
The incompetency derives from the lack of applicable opportunities in higher education and further from the market-derived nature of the western world. Students place more focus on getting the certificate and making money than they do on a purposeful career aspiration where they can add to the organization they work for. Not entirely their fault, we do live in a capitalist world. It is only fair for students to think for themselves. Therefore, they have nothing to offer aside from their ambition of being powerful, rich and prestigious in their fields.
The popularity around higher education as a means of a successful career and prosperity is the perpetrator here. We socially constructed higher education as a market valued product. Incompetent graduates refers to students who hold degrees with no real value attained from them other than the fact that they spent 4-5 years in purgatory completing them for the sake of a certificate. If students took the time to understand concepts, theories and the education provided to it’s true core and nature and being given the time frame to learn to this extent it would hold more meaning. It is easier to do a task when you understand the purpose of the task and the value it holds in the overall process.
Hence, education can now be bought in the market like anything else and loses its value in the economy over time. Students seek to have ideas and thoughts like possessions rather than innate talent and skill. We do not want to be enlightened we want to own the ideas so they can take us to the prestigious success podium. Hence, we further derive no real value from education and feel less and less fulfilled over time. We look for escape and we look for meaning. But that’s another story.