We pay brain surgeons a lot, even though the best of their techniques

[Jackpine Radical]

seldom restore full function to a brain or its accompanying mind.

There is another class of professional to whom we entrust the shaping of minds (and, yes, of brains) as they develop. It's a damn tricky business, trying to get a young mind/brain to grow into its full potential, and requires an incredible amount of skill, training and understanding of human cognition, emotion, moral development, and so on to cultivate their proper development.

Why do we value those brain surgeons so much more than we do those who guide the shaping of our children into fully-functioning human beings?

[valerief]

1. I want an $8/hr brain surgeon. I'm a Republican!

:sarcasm:

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Well, that's overpriced, considering

that if you're a Republican, you have a $4 brain.

[Mz Pip]

4. Snap

:rofl:

[valerief]

18. Ha!!!! nt

[Courtesy Flush]

24. +10

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Because they are doctors of course, and surgeons no less.

We need to value both equally, but reality is that we do not value anybody who does intellectual work. Yes, that includes doctors, they are next.

[Godhumor]

5. Supply and demand

There are a hell of a lot less certified brain surgeons than there are teachers, for a wide variety of reasons.

[FBaggins]

6. Depends on what you mean by "value"

If your only understanding of "value" includes dollar signs, then the comparison is doomed to fail. The answer to your question would be "because it's a far harder task to accomplish, far more expensive to learn to do well, and a far smaller portion of society can do it".

The real answer is modifying how we define "value".

[treestar]

7. It's the height of the responsibility

a brain surgeon makes a mistake and it's risking death. The person is in bad physical shape to need the surgery in the first place.

Teachers, at least there is no risk of killing someone.

[PBS Poll-435]

10. Did YOU ever take HomeEc?

nt

[dionysus]

11. burned yourself making cupcakes, didja?

:rofl:

[PBS Poll-435]

12. Sewing injury.

It puts the needle in the skin or else it gets detention.

Wait. This doesn't seem right. Oh yeah. I poked myself in the finger and got a drop of blood on my stuffed walrus I was making.


It's been a while.

[treestar]

23. Yep.

Didn't involve anything like brain surgery. In fact, we could pass the class in the 8th grade. My school year was the first that boys were allowed to take it.

[originalpckelly]

8. A bad teacher can make your life shit, a bad neurosurgeon could kill you.

EOM.

[Modern_Matthew]

15. +1

[PBS Poll-435]

9. I am sure your intentions were sincere in this OP, but...

It is absolute bullshit.

Just do the math.

[HereSince1628]

13. I have often mage this argument using pschiatrists rather than surgeons

Educators are deeply involved in cognitive development.

Whenever you have someone dealing with the potential of messing with other people's heads you want quality. If you don't...you get the messed up heads that the Limbaughs and Becks produce.

[tigereye]

14. hmm, not sure I like this analogy

to be fair, teachers don't do brain surgery, don't go to medical school, etc.

Teachers do deserve good pay, no question. But the salaries of athletes might have been a more useful comparison.

[outerSanctum]

16. Hmmm... OK, here goes....

I went to college and knew A LOT of elementary ed majors - they were seldom (read NEVER) the best and brightest. In fact, it was one of the two big joke majors on campus. I'm quite certain that none of these people would ever have been confused with a brain surgeon.

They were nice people and probably capable of teaching basic addition to children. But, come on...

[w8liftinglady]

17. Well- I can only speak from experience. Mine saved my life

My brain surgeon cut my left temporal lobe out...leaving just enough left temporal lobe so that i could still speak.
he's one of the best in the world.
I'm caring for patients today because of it.

Yes,brain surgeries have poor outcomes sometimes.
They have good outcomes,too.

[BobbyBoring]

19. Apples to Kangaroos much?

Brain Surgeons go to college for 6 8 or 10 tears depending on circumstances. They also pay a couple hundred grand in insurance every year.


That's part of the reason

[Jackpine Radical]

20. Really, I understand the arguments about paying brain surgeons more.

My point is simply that teachers perform an incredibly undervalued service to society.

And BTW, lots of people have training and experience comparable to that of brain surgeons and make far less. I think, for example, that the average mathematics professor takes about 10 years post-bachelors to complete the PhD, has a set of skills rarer than the ones needed to complete med school, and gets paid a whole lot less than that brain surgeon while pursuing intellectual inquiries that advance our understanding of the basic nature of reality.

Brain surgeons have a good union. Admissions to med schools and post-MD training slots are carefully rationed.

[dionysus]

21. i agree with your argument. the most common framing i've seen is scientists\teachers vs entertainers

and athletes...

[GeorgeGist]

22. Any facts to back up your assertion regarding brain surgeons?

They're actually called neurosurgeons.