Article based on feels instead of data. Educational attainment in the US is at an all time high. Lifetime earnings for bachelor's degree holders far outstrip those of non graduates.

The problem I think is the lack of a coherent set of goals or societal vision to strive towards. There's not even a short term plan. Hard to express hope for the future in these circumstances, and you can't blame people for being drawn to nihilistic get rich quick schemes in that context. But that doesn't mean they don't value education. They're just tiktok influencers with college degrees.