In a recent training class, the facilitator, a college professor, said that in today’s world you have to have credentials- letters after your name- to get ahead.
At the same time state and federal governments are cutting money spent on education, particularly higher education, making tuition horribly expensive and a massive debt load guaranteed.
This is just one of the ironies of living in America today. I gotta further my education to get ahead, but I can’t afford to further my education. I’m already in a position where I’ll have to work until I die. I wouldn’t mind going back to school, but I can’t afford to take on that kind of debt.
Republican governments say higher education needs reform because it brainwashes our children and turns them into crybabies and Democrats. So Republican legislatures cut spending on higher education, and instead the Koch brothers are funding it- with their stipulations, of course. I swear, we ought to just change the name of our country to Koch, because they are manipulating everything, including pressuring Congress to pass a tax bill that the majority of Americans oppose.
But Democrats are no better. They want to give all students free higher education. They want universities to continue to be research institutes. They want to put an end to sexual violence on campus while doing nothing about systems that promote such behavior, like alcohol abuse and a culture of partying. And they have no idea how we’re going to pay for all this, and by “we” I mean you and me, because rich folks and rich businesses will continue to dump the tax burden on us while they hide their money in foreign businesses and bank accounts.
And so, I am stuck.
I understand why so many people dream of hitting the lottery jackpot. At this point in my life, that’s about the only option I have for improving my situation. I have downsized. I haven’t had television in my home for two years because I cut the cable to save money. I’ve worked two jobs. I’ve given up the idea of having another dog. I know there are other things I could do to cut corners, but I’ve already given up so much, and those changes I’m not yet ready to make. I know the day will come when I’ll have to and I’m mentally preparing myself.
I often find myself looking at people like politicians and think I should run for government. I know I can’t, but I would sure do a hell of a lot better job than these idiots we seem hell-bent on sending to state and federal legislatures over and over again.
Children, please don’t make the same mistakes your elders have made. Live your life to please yourself, because there is nothing more miserable to wake up to realize you’ve tried to do the right thing and fucked up miserably.
Dogpaddling Through Life 
I hear you… and I often wish I could turn back the time… to prepare myself for the shi**y time we have now… but… :o(
It wouldn’t matter. We were sold a load of crap that made a lot of rich people richer and made us turn on each other. People say my situation is my own damn fault, and maybe it is. But it ain’t all my fault.
It’s not just America. The Australian government has sold many of its assets to China. The rich get richer, the there is a second generation ……..oh, really. The list goes on. We can’t win. It we will live a happier life and make some kind of difference in the world. Chin up luv!
No I won’t make a difference in the world. I will not be heard. But I can make a difference for me… maybe.
Love your last paragraph. I did everything that was asked of me when I started work. I saved my money, opted out of SERPS (UK National Insurance contributions) to get a government bonus to boost a private pension I was encouraged to take out (which mysteriously never materialised) and paid my dues. Said private pension/annuity equates to £150 per annum!
What do I get though? Extension of the state pension age for my generation by 6 years, unable to get monetary assistance (even if I wanted to ask for it) because I have a pension pot to tide me over which is a few thousand more than the threshold allowed. They are now calculating working time from 18, not 16 when I started so I am 2 years short of being allowed a full pension, even if I do get one, plus my Bank pension which I’m living on now will be taken into account and probably taxed! I don’t get a free bus pass until I retire, another 6 years to wait.
In hindsight, I wish we’d had all those holidays we did without to pay a mortgage to own our own home. That’s about the only thing we did right, pay off the mortgage when we had the chance. But what are we over 60s being asked to do now? Take out the equity in our property! We’ll even have to sell our home to pay for our care in old age, if we live that long, and you can imagine how much would (not) be left if some Fat Cat had a equity charge against it .
My advice to the younger generation? If you have the chance, take it. Emigrate, enjoy your life, explore your dreams before some B*****d finds an excuse to take them away. (I’ll get off my box now)
I’m sad to say I do relate. I wish that on no one.
I have a different frustration with the professor stating you need to have letters after your name. Not only is it too expensive to get those letters, the original thought is wrong to begin with.
You need letters after your name when someone wants a shortcut to figure out if someone is qualified to do a job. But I know many people who don’t have all the letters after their name who are excellent at their jobs:
My brother-in-law with an associates degree in aquaculture working in an oyster research facility. He was hired despite not having a bachelors degree because he is such a stellar person. But that’s the exception.
There is my old boss, a bilingual Latina who worked her way up from receptionist to the head of mortgage lending in a housing nonprofit. But she never earned what she deserved despite being excellent at her job.
And the diesel technician who gave us great help on our boat. As he enters his 50s, he’s finding it harder to crawl into tiny engine compartments. But he has a mind like a steel trap, is a great communicator, and treats women boaters equally to men. I think he should be teaching diesel repair. But he can’t get that kind of work because he only has an associates degree.
And everything you are going through is being experienced by others, at a higher rate by women and people of color.
It’s one reason I have long been attracted to alternative ways of living–co-housing, cooperatives, and even living on a boat. I feel like I can trust a community I build more than I can trust my government to provide what I need.
That said, not everyone wants to live in an alternative way. And it’s just evil that hard working people can’t support themselves in the richest country on earth.
The job I have now I would probably not have hired for if interviewed by the current management team. I’m working with people with Masters degrees.
The biggest lie we tell our kids is that if you want it enough, you can make it happen.
And tell ourselves then blame ourselves when it don’t work out that way.
It’s unfortunate that some companies only hire people with certain degrees and it does not matter your knowledge or experience. I once had business cards printed up and after my name I put ML, MML. (Meaningless Letters, More Meaningless Letters). 🙂
I love it!!!!
😀
I have seen PhD’s run companies into the ground, and many Bachelor’s and Master’s that were barely functional in a real world setting. This entire degree scam just builds upon itself until you will have managers, managing managers in dark buildings with no running water because they all bought into the scam. All trades are screaming for help and you can make more money and start out with less debt by going that route. You will actually have to work, but that is a small price to pay for a lifetime of satisfaction of knowing you have skills and do a job well. This college scam will fall under the weight of its own emptiness soon enough. Right now, I would reject a new college grad over someone with just a bit of experience and a lot of drive and ambition. A degree is not a measure of either intelligence nor fitness for purpose.
totally relate…thanks for this!!!!
It is a vicious circle in Congress. Magical thinking which isn’t realistic nor vindictive punishment for believing in the greater good. There are some who believe obtaining a degree is not worth the exorbitant expense of higher education.
It isn’t worth it to me.
Hello Jenn: I do not think you f*cked up at all. Life is not what it was post WW11. All was well until the 90’s & then things in both our countries slowly tanked!
I lost life savings in 1979 when my marriage, career (Tow Truck biz) & house tanked. I worked my A$$ off for 10 years never recouping much. Went to College (1989-1994) on the Government’s dime (thank you for that!) & it took me 5 yrs to get a 2 yr diploma. An then my health REALLY tanked. Ended up on Disability at 40 yrs old….at least I had Drug & Dental coverage. At 60 I qualified for Old Age Pension>>>I’m almost 62 now & live in Affordable Housing (EEKK!!) & I have NO drug or dental coverage. I live hand to month….
I can’t actually afford Siddhartha Henry’s monthly foods/meds so his previous owner (70 yrs old & still working part-time) helps me out.
I’m sorry you are going thru so much financial hardship; I can totally relate. I wish I had an answer for you…..it is sad when we can’t share out lives with 4 leggeds…that part REALLY p*sses me off.
Sending you {{hugs}} & positive energy! (They are still free) Sherri-Ellen ❤
It’s not the financial hardship that bothers as much as the feeling I’m a mouse lost in a maze with no way out. As the old Peggy Lee song says, “Is that all there is?”
Firstly, I am sending a massive hug!! Secondly, if it helps (and it might not but…) you are not the only one who thinks this. I look around at life and think “but when do we live?” who decided I purpose on this planet was to work to make someone else rich? I am done with it. I have given up work and I am hoping to return to uni, I have had to drastically alter my lifestyle and I am worried about how I will financially survive over the next four years, especially as I have recently discovered that we only get financial support for our first degree. Education should not be just for those who can afford it, yet that’s what it seems to have become!
Honey, maybe you COULD run for public office. http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/michael-moore-to-viewers-you-should-run-for-office-1100402755699