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The problem with physio graduates is a prime example for me of how there's too much of an emphasis on getting a degree now. Another example is nursing where standards are a hot issue nationally right now here.

Employers agree, but I don't see anyone doing much of anything about it.

I've been thinking about this on and off still and very gradually figuring some things out and some of my confusion is clearing. Yes a degree is virtually worthless at my age, especially when there will be ongoing economic stagnation in Europe for many years to come, maybe there won't be any good times to come again at all in my working life.

On the other hand I am not a business person which is a big problem. I'm not someone who gets a hard-on about anything to do with business and hard-selling and exploiting others doesn't sit well with me, I'm not selfish enough.

To be honest the only reason to get lots of money for me is to pick up hot shallow girls until I would get bored of them because they're shallow. I probably won't be interested in this in 6 or 7 years anyway if and when I want to settle down. I have been lured into worrying about status too much as most in our culture do, but don't really give a crap most of the rest of the time, and don't now. I don't judge people at all by their possessions, house, clothes, car, and their success, I judge them on how they treat other people, and deeper qualities like narcicissim, arrogance are a problem, even if they're funny, which is a great quality regardless. I can't get on with people that are too shallow like that either (so that seems to be many or most people in this culture).


This all means that I have a big conflict of desires which is there all the time which kind of sucks. I don't have the drive for money and business to impress the hot shallow girls, and can't make myself tell them a string of lies to pick them up otherwise, so I'll have to live without that and find something else to do. I will probably just follow a few things I'm interested in and see if I can get by and make a business in them without ripping people off. Options now are teaching English, DJing house music, massage. I'm willing to train as a psychotherapist at some point and know I would be good at it with some effort, but wouldn't want to start that until my late 30s. Until then I'll try to just get by see a bit of the world and follow my interests more and see if I can have some fun and stop being so miserable.

A college degree "doesn't mean anything -- unless you don't have one".
It shows you paid your dues. It shows you see things through to the finish. Just get started. One brick at a time until it is finished. Don't blame the economy. Be ready when it clears up.

If you were serious about teaching English, try traveling. No degree necessary to start (if English is your first language). Then maybe work on your TEFL or a similar certification. There is NOT a lot of money in the career, but it is fun. You meet a lot of people.
BTW IMO, London would be the worst place to try to begin a career teaching English to foreign students. Your market is saturated with English speakers (competition). And trust me, even in the poorest countries, there are people who have money, and want you to teach their kids (or business conversation for themselves). You can make enough to live on (and travel a little).....but I would not look at it as a long-term plan.....unless you found you really loved doing it.

FYI: Berlitz training requires that zero native language be spoken. Learning language only. I have never found that a second language was helpful for teaching Engish. It actually becomes a crutch for both the student and teacher.

EDIT: This is a complete negative myth about business. "....hard-selling and exploiting others doesn't sit well with me, I'm not selfish enough." Have you ever felt that way about the Deucescracked owners? From what I have seen, they are all class acts -- and they are business people too. But yeah, tough business decisions have to made time-to-time if you are the boss (wearing many hats). Positive business goes for WIN-WIN vs I-win-You-lose. After all, a happy customer is most likely a returning customer = $$.
Think about it. If you decide to teach English......you would....A) work for someone else or B) get your own students (business dealing).

Yes a degree is virtually worthless at my age

It's only worthless if you already have 10 years of work experience

"....hard-selling and exploiting others doesn't sit well with me, I'm not selfish enough."

If this is true then why not do the opposite? Helping other while exploiting yourself

No seriously, if you can make it your job to help others and pay yourself a normal salary wouldn't that be awesome?

I'm not someone who gets a hard-on about anything to do with business

You don't have to. You can have a hard-on about your passion and turn it into a business by creating value for others. I'm reading "the $100 startup", it's full with great examples of people that turned what they loved doing in a business without having to screw other people over.

You don't need a degree to teach English abroad. In South Korea you earn over 1000 pounds basic + you can teach on the side for around 20-30 quid an hour and you are near many great traveling spots.

My girlfriends father trained as a physio when he was in his late forties/early fifties and it was definitely not worthless for him to retrain.

"Until then I'll try to just get by see a bit of the world and follow my interests more and see if I can have some fun and stop being so miserable." (I don't know how to turn it into a quote?)

Seriously you are about to get 320,000 pounds you can both see the World and "get by" pretty well with that.

You mentioned a few different things. What are you actually passionate about and why. Once you know the answer to that it doesn't matter if you "have to" (gutted going back to some of the best times of my life at the grand old age of 29) go to University or if the job market isn't exactly what you want.

You are not a coal miner after lots of the pits have been closed or been told you are leaving your family for 6 months to go to war. Think positively and everything will seem much better.