Good point about learning being fin and exciting too.

Anti-intellectualism is wide spread and growing in the U.S. — Certifications of any kind are usually opposed, often ridiculed and seldom embraced. And I am such a Pollyanna.…I’m always surprised at the bitter rhetoric of the opponents!

Is not learning fun? Satisfying? Empowering? To many it is a burden and to be avoided. And in a globlaized information economy those who don’t learn are irrelevant.

Thanks

As far as better things to do than study and not wanting to spend the money, why go to college? Way more time and more money and no experience. So college graduates are suckers too?

No one that I know who has a CCIE feels like they were suckered nor do the salaries they get paid support the idea that they are. I do feel that if you have equivalent experience you have the upper hand. Your job reinforces what you have to know and if you supplement it with some time and commitment you have the best of both worlds.

Of course people who have paper but not experience will preach about the paper’s value. Not only do they not want to feel like suckers for having made that expenditure, but they have a vested interest in promoting the brand that it represents. When I see someone with some actual credibility touting the value of vendor certification (MS pulls the same stunt and I’ll bet you guys don’t feel *their* certifications trump experience) I’ll let you know. Don’t wait up.