Whenyourparentsadviseyouto“getaneducation”inordertoraiseyourincome,theytellyouonlyhalfthetruth.Whattheyreallymeanistogetjustenougheducationtoprovidemanpower（人力资源）foryoursociety,butnotsomuchthatyouproveanembarrassmenttoyoursociety.

Getahighschooldiploma,atleast.Withoutthat,youwillbeoccupationallydeadunlessyournamehappenstobeGeorgeBernardShaworThomasAlvaEdison,andyoucansuccessfullydropoutingradeschool.

Getacollegedegree,ifpossible.WithaB.A.,youareonthelaunchingpad.Butnowyouhavetostarttoputonthebrakes.Ifyougoforamaster’sdegree,makesureitisanM.B.A.,andthefamouslawofdiminishing(逐渐减少的)returnsbeginstotakeeffect.

Doyouknow,forinstance,thatlong-haultruckdriversearnmoreperyearthanfullprofessors?Yes,theaveragesalaryforthosetruckerswas$24000whilethefullprofessorsmanagedtoearnjust$23030.

Adoctorateisthehighestdegreeyoucanget.Exceptforafewspecializedfieldssuchasphysicsorchemistrywherethedegreecanquicklybeturnedtoindustrialorcommercialpurposes,ifyoupursuesuchadegreeinanyotherfield,youwillfaceafuturewhichisnotbright.Therearemoredoctorsunemployedorunderemployedinthiscountrythananyotherpartoftheworld.

IfyoubecomeadoctorinEnglishorhistoryoranthropologyorpoliticalscienceorlanguagesor—worstofall—inphilosophy,youruntheriskofbecomingovereducatedforournationaldemands.Notforourneeds,mindyou,butforourdemands.

Thousandsofdoctorsaresellingshoes,drivingcars,waitingontable,andendlesslyfillingoutapplicationsmonthaftermonth.Theymayalsotakeajobinsomehighschoolorbackwater(闭塞)collegethatpaysmuchlessthanthedoorkeeperearns.

Youcanequatethelevelofincomewiththelevelofeducationonlysofar.Farenough,thatis,tomakeyouusefultothegrossnationalproduct,butnotsofarthatnobodycanturnmuchofaprofitonyou.

小题1:Accordingtothewriter,whatthesocietyexpectsofeducationistoturnoutpeoplewho______.