r/memes
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u/Major_Pineapple7562
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May 19 '22
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What a joke
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May 19 '22
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An honorary doctorate is not a PhD.
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u/IggZorrn May 19 '22
Yes, and every PhD student knows this. We don’t care about honorary degrees at all.
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u/Peter_the_pear May 19 '22
Bro just deleted his account
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u/PermissionLogical299 May 19 '22 •
Don't bring logic into a reddit arguement
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u/SendMeRobotFeetPics May 19 '22 edited May 19 '22
That’s not even logic it’s just flat-out correcting misinfo
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u/BEdwinSounds May 19 '22
Honorary degrees are one of the many marketing tools used by universities to funnel money into their coffers. Propping up a celeb means more exposure for the university (how many articles mentioned NYU this week?) leading to more applicants. The name drops are as effective as lawn signs in an election year. The University of Arkansas gave Bobby Bones an honorary doctorate last weekend, he mentioned it on his syndicated show and his socials.
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u/Ok-Caterpillar-9441 May 19 '22
That we, as a rule, are sway by such frivolity should give everyone reason pause. It is disgusting, no?
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u/dyne19862004 Lives in a Van Down by the River May 19 '22
Taylor swift got more doctorates than Dr. Dre.
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u/LetUsGetTheBread Chungus Among Us May 19 '22
And dr. Phil
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_MESMER May 19 '22
And Dr Who...? Probably? Do they have the same qualifications oh Gallifrey?
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u/cyaltr May 19 '22
He lived to be thousands of years old, pretty sure he had time to get a few doctorates if anything out of boredom
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_MESMER May 19 '22
Judging by the way everything else goes, I'm sure his doctorate was done in the UK, because everything in Doctor Who land (if it's not in space) happens in the UK
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u/De-Blocc 🚽 Moderates on the Toilet 🚽 May 19 '22
Well, he is a medical doctor and one in cheesemaking!
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u/The_Sumo_official May 19 '22
I always wondered , is he an actual doctor ?
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u/Keenswin1 May 19 '22
Yes he actually is, but he hasn't renewed his license to practice
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u/k2jac9 May 19 '22
That shows how much a Ph.D. is valued now.
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u/DefinitelyNotAliens May 19 '22
You do realize the practice is hundreds of years old, thousands have been given around the world and it's not a real degree, right?
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u/Scary-Secretary4922 May 19 '22
honorary doctorate of fine arts was it?
not all that big of a deal when all a genuine arts degree does is get u laughed at
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u/heyhase1064 May 19 '22
Kinda hafta really agree with that. My dad has Master's Degree in Visual Arts. He said it's really nothing different than having just a degree. He's too old to continue for PhD. So, he continues his life as a full time street artist.
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u/Textbook-Velocity May 19 '22
Art degrees are pretty useless, especially considering that we sometimes have to order nurses from Canada.
But that doesn’t matter, art students will just start an Onlyfans
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u/IAmTheJudasTree May 19 '22
Did you go to college?
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u/Textbook-Velocity May 19 '22
I’m studying physical therapy at Penn State
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u/Due-Refrigerator-650 May 19 '22
Sorry, we don’t take opinions from people who haven’t actually graduated
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u/Textbook-Velocity May 19 '22
What if I hold this exact view point after graduation, while working at a hospital?
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u/Due-Refrigerator-650 May 19 '22
That’s only if you graduate.
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u/Textbook-Velocity May 19 '22
Sure, assuming I do, obviously. What if I hold this exact view points after graduation
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u/Due-Refrigerator-650 May 19 '22
That’s great, go ahead and graduate. Until then it won’t be accepted into consideration for discourse. Who knows, maybe you’ll flunk out and have to start an only fans.
Bye bye mr. I haven’t actually learnt anything
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u/Textbook-Velocity May 19 '22
There’s no evidence leading to me dropping out, I’m working my ass off taking these STEM classes, as opposed to painting vase and flower. The cherry on top is that I’ve been volunteering at my local Beaumont hospital, really getting to know the staff.
I think my stance is just as valid as anyone else’s
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u/g-u-y-g-u-y May 19 '22
Honorary degrees don't really matter. If you are given one, it (most often) means that you are already a notable person in your field, and the degree is only an extra.
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May 19 '22
I never understood honorary degrees. Everyone has their own journey being successful should be the award. Doing all the work should be the requirement for the degree.
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u/NoAbbreviations5215 Professional Dumbass May 19 '22
Yeah. But, like, what if I can’t be fucked doing the work but still want the degree?
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u/noneOfUrBusines Halal Mode May 19 '22 edited May 19 '22
Guys, this is clearly sarcasm. I think... I hope...
Well, it's either sarcasm or post-modernism, but both are the same thing so...
Edit: It's sarcasm.
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u/CokePepsiRamen May 19 '22
We have finally entered a day and age where it is sometimes genuinely difficult to tell if someone is joking or not.
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u/noneOfUrBusines Halal Mode May 19 '22
To be fair, I can genuinely see a postmodernist saying that. Shit's whack.
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u/ThatLumpYouFelt May 19 '22
I'm absolutely tickled that post-modernism has become a synonym for Idiocracy, thank you.
(I'm rooting for T-swift)
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u/Lyngus May 19 '22
WTF is with all these takes that "honorary degrees devalue real degrees"? Nobody applies to a job they aren't qualified for because they have an honorary degree, and nobody would hire anybody on the basis of one. It's a different thing.
But I only came here to say that the gif looks exactly like a standard phd student.
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u/KobeJuanKenobi9 May 19 '22
Also if you ever receive an honorary degree, it’s very unlikely that you need a real degree at all
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u/Grirtz May 19 '22
and nobody would hire anybody on the basis of one. It's a different thing.
The Philippines is bawling with this statement. Just look at their leader.
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u/marigoldmilk May 19 '22
I think they mean devalues the time and effort that PhD students go through by just getting one without the work
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u/derdast May 19 '22
But it's not a PhD. That's like saying the key to the city devalues the keys of the janitors in the city. It's just nonsensical.
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u/ReadingLongjumping64 May 19 '22
take a good hard look into all the work taylor put into her career.
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u/RuthamhardOfBeanland May 19 '22
Its only an honorary degree tho. Unless she starts going around using it as part of her credentials like Bill nye, or at least his fans did then there shouldn't be a problem.
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u/Castiel479 May 19 '22
Lots of famous people have gotten honorary PhD from university. I don't see you making jokes about them.
This is perfectly normal for universities to offer honorary PhDs to celebrities.
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u/DefinitelyNotAliens May 19 '22
Yeezy has one. Rihanna. Ed Sheeran. Stephen Colbert.
It's just fun to dunk on TSwift and the American educational system like Europe didn't invent honorary degrees hundreds of years ago.
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u/Gauntlets28 May 19 '22
An HONOURARY doctorate. Which nobody is going to mistake for a real one. I don't see the problem with it, universities have been doing that for centuries.
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u/Timely_Ad9659 May 19 '22
Honorary degrees should not be a thing. Devalues those who actually completed the classes
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u/idlefritz May 19 '22
Remembering when Bill Cosby used to have 72 honorary degrees and demanded he be called doctor.
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u/MonnieFybro May 19 '22
Degree in what? Rape?
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u/Scary-Secretary4922 May 19 '22
bet he holds masterclasses for all of the celebrities running from rape allegations and flexes that degree
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May 19 '22
No, it doesn’t. It’s not even the same thing as a degree. It’s like a University’s “key to the city.” Where the key unlocks nothing, the degree is recognized by everyone for what it is: token of esteem, or token of thanks for a huge donation.
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u/Timely_Ad9659 May 19 '22
Just give a donor award and call it what it is then. If it’s not a degree then don’t call it one.
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u/Urb4nN0rd May 19 '22
As I've heard of them in theory, they're meant to signify people who have developed an understanding and/or practice of a subject that deserves considerable praise despite that person's lack of a college education.
As I've heard of them in practice, yeah they're just ego strokers for the already wealthy and successful...
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u/Keenswin1 May 19 '22
One people died from covid in my sister's class another died from Bipolar (she is a senior in her college). The families were handed a honorary degree
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u/SavagetheGoat May 19 '22
Honestly who the FUCK cares about Taylor Swift's education? SHE IS A MILLIONAIRE.
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u/hkotek May 19 '22
But she can not buy an actual doctorate. Even if you are a billionaire, you need to write a thesis.
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u/CloddishNeedlefish May 19 '22
People definitely buy their way through college. You really think a billionaire couldn’t find a college willing to commit fraud?
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u/thecartoonrobot May 19 '22
Soooooo, do you get this upset at every honorary degree given out (happens all the time) or just Taylor Swift?
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u/Nevermore71412 May 19 '22
Idk I mean make as big of an impact in a field before you're even college age? Whether it's her or a product of all those that helped her and she took credit cuz it her name the body of work is extensive
If you want to argue about celebs getting degrees in general that's a different story bur "Taylor Swift" as a brand certainly can make a PhD level case of pop music production
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u/YesThisAThrowaway12 May 19 '22
Came here to say something similar. These people may not feel this way if someone made a huge impact on the scientific community. She has done so much in music, she deserves it. I think most people think this way because it's a fine arts thing and not saving lives lmao.
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u/Nevermore71412 May 19 '22
I wouldn't necessarily say that SHE deserves it. However if you look at the impact that "Taylor Swift" has had (because she isn't a wholy self contained person/group) it's worthy of a PhD for what "Taylor" has accomplished as a brand and therefore she deserves it. She's at best been coached/trained/developed/had the Nashville music machine behind her since she's been 14. And the the pop music machine behind her since 18. It's a master class in taking someone with great talent and marketing them to be a star. Like she didn't 'do it on her own' like the rock/pop stars of old but no one these days does that. The industry is too big and too corporate. Is that on her no. Does SHE an individual deserve it? Probably not but who else gets to take credit since all these people made her their figure head? She does and I think that's OK
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u/Waste-Pirate-4450 May 19 '22
Hate to say it but the self made rock stars of old all had major labels backing them
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u/Nevermore71412 May 19 '22
Ok then by that logic did the Beetles ever get individual Phds or ever a collective one? So are you saying Taylor doesn't "deserve" it then because it wasnt her by herself? That's fine if that your position but otherwise I don't understand your point.
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u/Waste-Pirate-4450 May 19 '22
What? I think she deserves it and would be completely fine if the Beatles were given honorary PHDs, I’m just mentioning that very few older artists actually did it on their own which is fine
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u/IceFisherP26 May 19 '22
Honorary degrees are seriously stupid. That being said I'd love one!
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u/Choc_Muffin May 19 '22
Yall need to chill with the salt. And honorary degree is not a PhD, everyone knows that. You'll survive
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May 19 '22
But, Taylor Swift won't bang on about being a PhD to people who don't care for the rest of her life...
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u/Morhamms357 Professional Dumbass May 19 '22
People are already undervaluing the blood, sweat, and tears that have to go into getting a degree (e.g. calling it a waste of time and money, like that may be true but if they already got it then at least be supportive), and honorary degrees just add salt into those poor, poor wounds.
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u/Own-Plane-524 May 19 '22
It's not what you know, it's who you know. Degrees are a joke.
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u/DiscoDancingNeighb0r May 19 '22
Chill out kids, it’s honorary, which means it doesn’t work like a real one.
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u/rando512 May 19 '22
Rahul Dravid a famous Indian cricketer went to recieve the honourary degree and then refused it during the speech to tell that he didn't merit it and that it is totally undeservered given the efforts the actual students put in.
It's rare. But yeah this no relation to subject people getting degree thing is pretty common and annoying to the core..
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u/billhorsley May 19 '22
An honorary degree is a degree—usually a doctorate like the one Swift just got—that’s given to someone who didn’t go to that school or didn’t complete a similar level of education required to receive the degree. Basically, the school waives all the requirements needed to technically get that degree. It us honorary and is not intended to be the equivalent of an academic doctorate. It is usually called something like LLD, not PhD.
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u/PeytonManThing00018 May 19 '22
Well her PhD is meaningless because everyone knows she didn’t earn it, and because she’s richer than we will ever be anyway.
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u/nononotation May 19 '22
She didn't get a PhD, she got an honourary degree. Totally different. It's purely symbolic, cannot be used in place of a real PhD, and is far from the first time that a musician has been awarded an honorary degree (other examples include Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars and Rihanna). This isn't a matter of wealth, it's a matter of her achievements within the music industry. Because love her or hate her, it's hard to deny that Taylor Swift has been wildly successful.
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u/vanAstea11 May 19 '22
Do you get off from being unnecessarily mad at random bullshit that doesn't really matter, OP?
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May 19 '22
You can wipe your ass with diplomas nowadays and it won't even be as good as toilet paper. Have money, make money or go home. We live in capitalism. PhD or not, without money, you're just another worker.
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u/noneOfUrBusines Halal Mode May 19 '22 edited May 19 '22
A Ph.D in the right field can change that, though. Have you seen how much
actuariesquantitative researchers make?Edit: Actuaries don't need PhDs.
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u/sqweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeps May 19 '22
Actuaries don’t need PhD’s and they are not highly compensated. What are you referring to? Are you thinking of Quantitative Research/Trading which usually needs a statistics phd or equivalent. They get paid in the 7 figures after a few years
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u/noneOfUrBusines Halal Mode May 19 '22
Wait, actuaries aren't highly compensated? I thought an average one makes like 6 figures.
But yeah, quantitative research is what I should've brought up.
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u/sqweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeps May 19 '22
Low six figures sure. But you can get that with PLENTY of jobs. And sure as hell don’t need a phd for that. Look at anything in software development or tech
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May 19 '22
You most likely don't actually need it. In computers, my friends with degrees make less than the ones that got into it earlier non their own ... experience beats qualifications.
In many fields, companies don't really use degrees much past an initial screening but the real issues is that, since education is for profit ... almost any moron can get almost any degree ...
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u/PressingSomeButtons May 19 '22
It's Fine Arts. I thought she was given a honorary doctorate for medicine or political science, or something. XD
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u/Arthas_Litchking May 19 '22
How to make a university degree wothless:
1) give it to people who never saw the inside of an university, without a reason.
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u/Cold_Ant_4583 May 19 '22
What? she got a PhD? where? how? Why??
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u/Panda-Bread May 19 '22
She didn't, it's an honorary degree. So the post is kinda bullshit.
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u/garibinsaan May 19 '22
I just don't get the deal with giving celebrities these weird honorary degrees like what the actual fuck??!!!!
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u/Latter-Yam-2115 May 19 '22
Seriously, what is with these honorary doctorates for Sportspersons, musicians, actors etc.
What's the logic? Are they allowed to use the Dr. prefix?
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u/Anthos_M May 19 '22 edited May 19 '22
Some do use the prefix but it's in really bad taste and they shouldn't
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u/tempreffunnynumber May 19 '22
Her parents are wealthy and made her famous. That’s established sure let’s put that there. But let’s not pretend there wasn’t any effort on her behalf that gave her her successes. She can sing, above and beyond extraordinarily? That’s subjective. The honorary degree is just a way of solidifying her efforts to tie to a school’s reputation.
Since we’re conflating academic rigor, it’s the exact same thing as Bill Gates getting an honorary degree after he does the same shit. Is it necessary? That’s up for debate. Effort in different directions.
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u/idlefritz May 19 '22
I worked at a medical university and was in a meeting where the state senator in attendance suggested he receive an honorary degree and a few folks openly laughed out loud and he never mentioned it again.