Quote:
Originally Posted by Ammi
(Post 9896370)
..I’m not really sure I understand what you’re saying, Maru...I don’t think younger people could be described as ‘entitled’ in my opinion of any younger person I know and have known...so I don’t understand the ‘feel they deserve simply because...’...yes we’ve all had our share of adversities through life and we’ve all had ‘foundations’ laid for us but I don’t think for younger people their foundation is any more or less smooth, though..but some things are certainly not much ‘easier’ for the younger generation, which I specified earlier in regards to pensions and how much earlier in life, younger people have to ‘plan’ and prepare...and how difficult it can be to progress in jobs in many areas unless academics are achieved...
...’hardships’ has me a bit confused as well...(..sorry, I’m very tired atm..)...but I didn’t infer ‘hardships’ at all, or didn’t intend to, if you feel I did...and yes, we do all live in apparent healthy, safe and free countries...but suicide rates of younger people in healthy, safe and free countries are quite disturbing also as is diagnosed mental illness in young people..in a way that I don’t recall these things so much as being the case back in the day.... of people in their teens and 20s etc...
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I'll give an example of something more tangible, to try to keep it concise... Our generation, who we were less politically motivated, we felt entitled to cheaper education and unfettered access to college... so in the States, if you graduate from a community college (no bar to entry), we are generally given instant transfer to any public state college of our choosing in many states.
Well, that cost money, so to soothe that pain we were given grants and low-interest student debt by way of federally backed loans which protected the corporations in case those weren't paid back. However, it didn't come with sort of system of checks to be sure that the investment would even pay off for the student (i.e. a good degree choice). Bush then wrote a law that prevented student loans debt from being "expunged" at bankruptcy to avoid that inevitable balloon in unpaid debt... so those loans are now life-long burdens.
Now that education has skyrocketed in costs, largely influenced by the over-expansion of universities and colleges thanks to thirsty school administrations who pushed initiatives that was supposed to make education more "accessible" and catering as much to demand, many young folk now are asking it should
all be free anyway... this is without ever having paid in and requiring no checks and balances in place to be sure the investment in them is
even worth it... so someone who wants to take Philosophy or Ancient Chinese History for example as their degree of choice, full well knowing there's almost no job market for those individuals (i.e. no means to pay it back into the system)... is that anything
but entitlement?
To add to this, they want to have higher wages for entry level jobs... because yes, they are absolutely coming out of school saddled with mountains of debt on their backs and some so bad, their payments for their student loans are in excess of most mortgages. It also limits their ability to settle down, to get loans to start a business, or even pre-qualify for a home loan at a not so predatory interest rate thanks to their debt to income ratio... while at the same time having to pay some form of rent if they're not living at home in order to maintain some meaningful existence or further their personal development out of the parental home.
As I see it, the system has been doing gymnastics to soothe the "whims" of the younger populations (including Gen X, baby boomers, etc), but it's not paid off. In fact it's backfired tremendously... ... I think in helping them to avoid certain pains, we've only caused more of it, like the mental health crisis as you say... and I feel this way about areas of their lives. Not just education. Many have been sold on a pack of lies... my great grandparents were wise enough to steer their children towards the right course
for themselves thanks to the Depression, but we've been giving each generation more and more lofty societal burdens (such as create world peace, etc) that are weighing them emotionally rather than just on giving them skills or basic information necessary just to get them through life and do alright for themselves...