Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I know that the people awarded these phoney qualifications rarely ever trade on them, and that there are far more important things to get worked-up over, but the concept of bypassing all the hard work, trepidation and expense really gets to me when I read in the news that some actor has been awarded one just so that the university can attract some publicity and no-doubt a fat 'donation' from the recipient.


Honestly, it really does bring the gravitas of higher learning into disrepute when they dish-out like sweeties what should be the result of three to four years hard work to some grinning no-mark.


And what rubs even more salt into the wound is the so called 'reason' behind awarding the celebrity a degree. Nearly always it's because of services to the arts or in some cases business. How do they justify that? Because as far as I can see, the recipient couldn't give two flying f@cks about "services to the arts" because they're more motivated by the very handsome paychecks they will recieve for their efforts. Which, coincidentally, don't usually display much talent.


The whole thing just reeks of what I hate most. Insincerity.


Anyone you know of have one of these travesties? I bet someone in East Dulwich does!

Link to comment
https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/13611-honorary-degrees/
Share on other sites

Ah but you are wrong in thinking that all honorary degrees are given to public figures that haven't worked for them.


Some honorary degrees are given to people who have worked in fields of research for example and 'have' therefore done the equivalent of years of self educating (esp those who push medicine or science forward).


I totally agree that some degrees are given to people in fields totally unrealted to their work and so can not possibly reflect an equivalent knowledge to those that study for four years. But similarly there are those that dedicate their lives to a field without a degree and in time become as knowledgeable, or even more so than those that have completed a four year degree.

Richard Branson has an honorary degree from Loughborough University. He's a doctor of technology. I'm not completely sure of my facts here but it's my understanding that he had a poor academic record when he went into business for himself. The guy done good though. He's exactly the sort of person honorary degrees should go to.
Augusto and Michaela Odone were both given honorary degrees for their work in developing treatment for myelin after their son was diagnosed with it with no available cure or treatment. It was later dramatised in the movie 'Lorenzo's Oil. A perfect example of two ordinary people, not famous or public figures, driven simply by the need to 'do' something....something which gave them as much knowledge as aonyone studying for a degree in that field.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Depends on what the Barista says doesnt it? There was no physical confrontation with the driver, OP thinks she is being targetted when she isnt. These guys work min wage under strict schedules so give them a break unless they damage your stuff
    • CPR Dave, attendance records are available on Southwark's website. Maggie Browning has attended 100% of meetings. Jon Hartley has attended 65%.
    • I do hope NOT, wouldn't trust Farage as far as I could throw him, Starmer & co.  He's backed by GB News which focus's predominantly on immigration while the BBC focus predominantly on the Israel - Gazza conflict.   
    • Everyone gets the point that Corbynites try to make with the "total number of votes cast" statistic, it's just a specious one.  In 2017, Corbyn's Labour got fewer votes than May's Tories (both the percentage of votes and aggregate number of votes). In 2019, Corbyn's Labour fewer votes than Johnson's Tories (both the percentage of votes and aggregate number of votes); and he managed to drop 2.7 million votes or 6.9% of vote share between the two elections. I repeat, he got trounced by Boris F***ing Johnson and the Tories after the Brexit omnishambles. It is not true that a "fairer" electoral system would have seen Labour beat the Tories: Labour simply got fewer votes than the Tories. Corbyn lost twice. There is no metric by which he won the general election. His failure to win was a disaster for the UK, and let Johnson and Truss and Sunak into office. Corbynites have to let go of this delusion that Corbyn but really won somehow if you squint in a certain way. It is completely irrelevant that Labour under Corbyn got more votes than Labour under Starmer. It is like saying Hull City was more successful in its 2014 FA Cup Final than Chelsea was in its 2018 FA Cup Final, because Hull scored 2 goals when Chelsea only scored 1. But guess what - Chelsea won its game and Hull City lost. Corbyn's fans turned out to vote for him - but an even larger group of people who found him repellant were motivated enough to show up and vote Tory.
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...