Comprehension

[jiang]

Dear teachers,
I find the following sentence difficult to understand. Could you please explain it to me?

Far enough, that is, to make you useful to the gross national product, but not so far that nobody can turn much of a profit on you.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[twostep]

Originally Posted by jiang

Dear teachers,
I find the following sentence difficult to understand. Could you please explain it to me?

Far enough, that is, to make you useful to the gross national product, but not so far that nobody can turn much of a profit on you.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

Enough productivity to justify your being a part of the overall picture but not so much to allow another to turn your efforts into his profit.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by jiang

Dear teachers,
I find the following sentence difficult to understand. Could you please explain it to me?

Far enough, that is, to make you useful to the gross national product, but not so far that nobody can turn much of a profit on you.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

I'm not sure I get it either. Is there more context?

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by twostep

Enough productivity to justify your being a part of the overall picture but not so much to allow another to turn your efforts into his profit.

Hmmm. An interesting reading. I don't think the "nobody" in the sentence fits the second part of your explanation. :wink:

[jiang]

Dear Mike,
Here is more context:

If you become a doctor of philosophy in English or hisory or anthropology or political science or languages or---worst of all---in philosophy, you run the risk of becoming overeducated for our national demands. Not fo rour needs, mind you, but for our demands.
Thousands of Ph.D.s are selling shoes, driving cars, waiting on table, and endlessly filling out applications month after month. They may also take a job in some high school or backwater college that pays much less than the janitor earns.
You can equate the level of income with the level of education only so far. Far enough, that is, to make you useful to the gross national product, but not so far that nobody can turn much of a profit on you.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

I'm not sure I get it either. Is there more context?

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by jiang

Dear Mike,
Here is more context:

If you become a doctor of philosophy in English or hisory or anthropology or political science or languages or---worst of all---in philosophy, you run the risk of becoming overeducated for our national demands. Not fo rour needs, mind you, but for our demands.
Thousands of Ph.D.s are selling shoes, driving cars, waiting on table, and endlessly filling out applications month after month. They may also take a job in some high school or backwater college that pays much less than the janitor earns.
You can equate the level of income with the level of education only so far. Far enough, that is, to make you useful to the gross national product, but not so far that nobody can turn much of a profit on you.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Thank you, Jiang. That helps a lot.

The "far enough" and "not so far" follow from "equate". He is saying that one will make more money with more education, only up to a point. As long as there are high-paying jobs that require higher education, the education is in demand. Those with more education will get the better jobs. When the demand is not there, people with more education have to settle for jobs with lower wages. If employers were to pay educated people high wages for low-paying jobs, the employers would not be able to make a profit. Does that help?

[jiang]

:D
Thank you so much for your explanation. Now I understand it perfectly.
Jiang

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

Thank you, Jiang. That helps a lot.

The "far enough" and "not so far" follow from "equate". He is saying that one will make more money with more education, only up to a point. As long as there are high-paying jobs that require higher education, the education is in demand. Those with more education will get the better jobs. When the demand is not there, people with more education have to settle for jobs with lower wages. If employers were to pay educated people high wages for low-paying jobs, the employers would not be able to make a profit. Does that help?

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by jiang

:D
Thank you so much for your explanation. Now I understand it perfectly.
Jiang

Great! You're very welcome. :wink: