Poll on Achievement Envy - RF Cafe Forums

Hi folks, I have experienced a surprising number of instances where people without college degrees feel a need to "prove" how worthless my degree is because they have managed without one. It seems to happen more often these days for some reason. It usually comes in the form of the person feeling the need to prove how extremely self-educated they are to supposedly demonstrate how my achievements are negligible. My brother-in-law is a self-proclaimed expert on everything because he watches the History Channel and Build It Bigger every week. It doesn't matter to him that I also watch those shows AND read books and a wide variety of magazines to maintain and enhance me knowledge. He never reads anything other than People magazine. I used to brush this kind of annoyance off, but it's really getting to me anymore.
 
Has anyone else been experiencing this, and how do you deal with it? BTW, I go out of my way to not make a big deal of my education (MSEE). How have we gotten to this point where hard work and the pursuit of higher education is grounds for abuse? Man, this world has really turned upside down.

Your poll choices are a little confusing but I know what you mean. I've had many loud mouth types feel they have to prove their superior intelligence by being exerts on everything. Sometimes it's a manager or sales person (w/degree) but more often it is a tech w/o even an Associate degree who wants to prove what a waste college is because after all look how smart he/she is e/o one. It brings to mind the says about how ignorant people "don't know what they don't know."

Not sure if its envy, but wish I had had the time and
money to go to graduate school years ago. See my
reply under topic poll: 'Do you need a degree to be
called an engineer?'

Best regards,

/Clay