I was always told there were two very powerful things to acquire in this world growing up, “Money and Knowledge”. However when you look around at the world today there are many ways in which both of these subjects is deceiving the eyes of the public. We are a midst a growing problem where the wealth distribution between the Upper-Class and Lower-Class are seeing greater rates of disparity.

The rich are happily getting more and more stacks of cash flow in their favor, while the Middle-Class people are losing jobs and falling down the ladder. Some families made smart enough investments to build wealth, or hold occupations in industries that have comfortable positions. For people across the U.S. of all ages and social classes the only keys to getting ahead in an ever changing world is through education.

But with the subject matter of education comes another big question, how do you define a good education that will guarantee you a good job for the upcoming years ahead? We are now living among a special age, an information age. This is a time where you can learn anything you can imagine, a lot of times without college courses to back it up as well.

The social class system in America over the last 50-60 years has catapulted due to Universities and College degrees landing people jobs. That being said times have evolved and simply going to College doesn’t always equate to the guarantee that you will capture a solid career based off of simply holding a degree alone.

The necessity to build up your knowledge and experience is becoming more critical than ever as the job market narrows down. The minimum-wage jobs of America are beginning to see more faces of college graduates rather than what were once just high school graduates. Also more people are becoming under-employed and working harder and longer than they did before, for less money, mainly those who have been laid off of previous work.

When looking at whether the standard of knowledge really holds a level of certainty in America, I believe it is unfair to base knowledge simply upon what is learned in a classroom environment. Some may assume that knowledge is acquired through hard work, effort, and in some ways suffering, but even that statement may be unfair to assume.

Knowledge is a tool and forever will be and it cannot be obtained tangibly like money. Knowledge cannot be touched through sensory experience but it is something that can be accumulated through time and effort just like money. By building your awareness you can set out your own personal standards for knowledge and begin to act successfully in your own practice.

Going out in the world and working through any first job is a good first-hand experience and you can begin to see some of the harsh realities of the world we live in. Living comfortably simply isn’t manageable on a minimum wage in America. If you truly consider sky-rocketing inflation rates not to mention the necessities we need to pay for, many people are now being left in the trenches with insurmountable debt.

Living in today’s world it’s important to hold qualities to separate yourself out from the crowd. If you want to excel or get ahead in whatever subject or field you have in mind, it is important to make the time to educate yourself so you can become as closest to an expert as possible in your category. Don’t let fear, rejection, or distractions take away your desires.

I hope that by no means do I suggest or advise that College and Universities are not a necessity, for they provide great experience and foundations for serving out knowledge. My goal is to simply make a person open their eyes to all that is already open to them. Look into opportunities and seek out ways that you can invest your time more wisely towards education and learning. If you don’t understand how things work, learn more!

Here are just some great ways you can Educate Yourself for free or good places to utilize resources…

1. Public Library
2. Barnes and Noble
3. Half-Price Books
4. Google Scholar
5. Khan Academy
6. TED Talks
7. YouTube Documentaries
8. Netflix Documentaries (Monthly Fee)
9. iTunes U