I was in my office last week (minding my own business) reading some articles that a friend asked me to check out, and I ran across an author with this odd credential:
[Guy’s Name], PhD*
Really, guy, an asterisk? I looked at the bottom of the page, expecting to find the qualifying statement or disclaimer to which the * belonged, but there was none. I was really hoping to find something good like:
*some restrictions apply
*degrees listed are purely coincidental
*now with 70% more book lernin’
Can you do that; can you footnote or disclaimer a credential? And while we’re on it, why do we have honorary doctorates? The person hasn’t EARNED a doctorate; he's no more qualified in any particular field, just because he delivered a commencement speech. Someone gave me a couple of books by a pastor with 3 honorary doctorates-and not one actual graduate degree! Isn’t that the professional equivalent of wearing a “World’s Greatest Dad” t-shirt?
Awesome! Yeah the whole honorary doctorate thing is a little out of hand. I know that Bob Dylan and Sean Connery (among many others) have honorary doctorates from St. A's, which means i have gone about this thing all wrong. If only i decided to become famous first i would get a doctorate too!
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