The crisis of Credentialism

Papering over the professions

Is there anything written on paper that is not worthless these days? The state of literature is parlous. The manifesto promises of our leaders are a pack of lies. You would be advised against using the newspaper to wipe as it is likely to bemerd you yet more. Anyone who has signed a mobile phone or gym contract can laughingly tell you about the happy hours invested in those charming telephone queues. Every man and his dog has a degree these days. The dog walker probably has a master’s.

We are seemingly ensnared by a choice between false promises. All the phone companies, political parties, newspapers are at it - ‘it’ being ‘sales’. This is what you get when your nation is replaced by a market, and a street market at that, full of hawkers and pickpockets and shiny boxes at suspiciously low prices.

What we have instead of production is promises. In fact, the promise is often the product, dispelled only at the moment of disappointment. Other promises are available - but be quick! This see…