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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ilaine who wrote (94032)	1/6/2005 10:16:14 AM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 793745

How can I analogize? You have some apples and oranges on your list. Some of them are documentation of ownership. Some of them are permits. A deed is proof of ownership for real estate. I own my home. I do not have a deed. I still own my home. I do not have any stock certificates, either, but I still own the stocks. Little pieces of paper. I do have a title for my car, somewhere. But if I didn't I would still own my car. Licenses for doctors or attorneys or pilots are certifications of competency that authorize certain activities. Not just little pieces of paper because engaging in those activities without the paper lands you in jail. If you don't pursue those activities, however, they are just little pieces of paper. Diplomas act like permits to the extent that employers may elect to not hire you without one. Or the employer may not care about the degree, only your competence, in which case the diploma is a little piece of paper. Marriage certificates are like permits in that they establish certain legal restrictions and authorizations. If you want to claim the benefits or exceed the restrictions, they are not just little pieces of paper. Some of the restrictions and authorizations can be effected via other instruments if the parties choose. Some of these permit-like instruments can be undone, like a marriage or a pilot's license, either actively, like divorce, or passively, by failure to renew. Others, like a diploma, can't. If you undo these instruments, you still have the residual little piece of paper, although it is void. Then it really is just a little piece of paper. All of these documents may have great symbolism or sentimental value for their holders. This would vary by individual. Earning a diploma is a great accomplishment and the document is the symbol of the accomplishment. Yet autodidacts may be just as accomplished. I guess you could say that a marriage license was an accomplishment--finding someone to marry you. For some that is a greater accomplishment than for others. <g> But, like the autodidact, someone could achieve the same accomplishment without the certificate.