University - Is it necessary?

I have been studying most of my adult life. As soon as I graduated high school I went to university and proceeded to complete my degree, then worked as a TA for some time and completed my post grad.

Even though I no longer go to university i find that I naturally read books and browse things online. I find a satisfaction in learning all that I can and it makes me think about all the time I spent in university and whether or not it was a necessary thing to do.

I find that when I am free-learning as I do every day I learn a lot more and it seems to sink in. It is also more enjoyable. Is structured learning necessary? Or should people be able to absorb what they want, when they want?

It really depends on what you are looking for in life. I think undergraduate education is more or less there to teach you how to conform to the expectations placed on you. I don't know exactly why or how it has evolved in the way it has, but it doesn't seem like anyone who has completed an undergraduate degree has gained any extra knowledge or experience except for one thing: they seem to defend conformity and reject original thinking.

I've never encountered a person who completed a university degree and thought they were in any way more intelligent than someone who did not.

As for graduate degrees and post-grad degrees, I don't know. I would assume that at these levels you are actually focusing on what you want to focus on, and are also acquiring a lot of actual knowledge.

Though I sort of believe that people need to become smarter in a different way than what knowledge provides. A sense of maturity and open mindedness and I'm not sure if such an education is provided or survives university.

I have learned much in my time in university. I just wonder if it can be improved in some manner to be used in real world situations or if the infrastructure is too slow to do that.

In today's complex world another Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison or Henry Ford-all whom did not attend university--is very unlikely.

Universities are here to stay.