Everything in America really requires an education to start, whether formal or informal. For example, if I wanted to pursue a career as a seamstress, I could get a fancy degree in fashion design, but I could also get a sewing class from my local community center or adult school, read some sewing books and watch sewing YouTube videos about certain topics online. The latter is less pressure and less terrifying than the formal degree. We also have culinary classes in middle schools and high schools here where I live.
However, the weird part about American culture is that it is designed to scare people, so we tend to reward people socially for going through fearsome situations, even if the fear leads to learning less and really not enjoying our learning process. Time and again, I’ve found that getting things done to keep all of the scary negative outcomes at bay is at war with actual learning and personal growth. Living in this country is to be afraid, to constantly be breathing toxic air. You basically climb to the top so you can scare others, or you insulate yourself from the system of fear as much as possible by getting a cabin in the woods, or both.