Dropout Feels Guilty Because He Became Financially Successful

"I earn around $140,000 a year. In my particular field I'm considered an expert. I've been awarded by the company that makes the product, and have written several books about it. And then was hired by that company to work on the product. I sound like a success, don't I? I never finished high school. I've never lied and said I did, I just always conveniently left that part of the application blank. Because of that, I feel like a fraud. A shyster. Like I really don't know anything at all - I should be working at an oil change place, or delivering pizzas, or anything else. I can't shake this feeling. I don't know if I'm good, or if I'm a good hustler." 

I think it's funny how this person feels bad about defying the dropout stereotype. Schools tell dropouts that we're lazy and stupid failures, so when some dropout earns more money than a graduate, the former feels like they cheated the system.

The fact of the matter is that this system is broken in the first place. Just because you don't have a sheet of paper doesn't mean you cheated. It means you did something well without a sheet of paper saying you can do it.

Also related is how people underestimate the emphasis on these sheets of paper:

"How many times do people giddily point out that Bill Gates dropped out of college. If anything emphasis on a degree is taken far more seriously in the east."

Degrees and diplomas are on completely different levels. A college dropout gets less flak because college is where you go to specialize in some field (or they're advertised as such, anyway). Meanwhile, a high school dropout is made to seem like they never fully developed as an adult, like they never learned the basics. Many people, whether from the East or West, assume dropouts can barely even read or write. I'm sure you've heard it all before. "That guy only has an 8th grade education." What does this even mean?

It's all designed to force us onto one path and one path only. If we all left school to find our own way, schools would be out of business and the job market would be further flooded by unemployed applicants, so they guilt trip us into staying. If you choose the "wrong" path anyway and end up for the better, then good, fuck them.

All quotes were taken from this thread.