"I don't feel special or entitled..."

[Aeson]

Says he who was just bravely taking a pro-Civil Rights Movement stance.

It's wasn't a strawman.

Reg said that conforming to authority was a key to maturity. Of course pointing out times when standing up to authority was not an immature thing is an applicable response to such a stupid claim.

[Sava]

we hate rich kids who were handed the world on a ****ing platter

self-hatred is the worst

[Ben Kenobi]

Go back to whatever dimension you came from.

You set the bar high for strawmen. I had to work for that one.

[-Jrabbit]

I wonder if Reg realizes how many times he sounded like Kenobi in this thread.

[Ben Kenobi]

And that's terrible.

[KrazyHorse]

Also why not reduce tuition to reflect average outcomes. Make humanities courses cost less than stem given the benefits and competition.

Why do you think this doesn't already happen?

[MRT144]

Why do you think this doesn't already happen?

last time I looked into university about 7 years ago, the cost for credits didnt vary by department. is this not the case?

[KrazyHorse]

Anyhow, I don't understand how come all these poor people don't just get jobs at hedge funds or investment banks. Those jobs pay more than McDonalds and teaching elementary school.

[KrazyHorse]

last time I looked into university about 7 years ago, the cost for credits didnt vary by department. is this not the case?

You misunderstood my question. I was not disputing that it doesn't currently happen; I was asking you what your thoughts are on why it doesn't happen.

[-Jrabbit]

Let the market decide. Just turn college cost into an investment instrument, complete with, um, futures...

[MRT144]

You misunderstood my question. I was not disputing that it doesn't currently happen; I was asking you what your thoughts are on why it doesn't happen.

Itd be a nightmare to implement because people would kvetch about it. Any market reasons it wouldnt work are better explained by you than stumbled upon by me. Lack of an obvious price discovery mechanism would be one.

[Sava]

Maybe someone touched on this already, but speaking of "entitlement"... I tend to think the wealth-worshipers are the ones who feel entitled. Most people just want to be able to get up, go to work, and support their family. We're not talking extravagant lifestyles... just basic American living. But then I see the financial industry and their apologists in the media go on and on how "poor" people are gaming the system because most households have things like microwaves.

It's actually pretty sickening.

And compared to the current reality, our country would probably be much better off if every citizen received a $40k salary just for nothing. End all the corporate welfare and tax breaks to industries. Supply side nonsense is a failure in every conceivable way. The American economy struggles because people don't have disposable income. But then again, that's probably their goal.

They want to suck money out of the economy and into their pockets. And that's what they've done.

[MRT144]

Well Sava, part of the problem is the mischaracterization by some people of what dissatisfaction with the status quo looks like. Detractors of these kinds of discussions love to harp on these starry eyed dreams who think its a major drag that they cant do underwater basket weaving for a princely sum but that represents a small of people affected by these issues. In fact a lot of the separation between upper and other classes, affects all of us, especially on the public policy front.

[Aeson]

I'm sure there's good money to be made in underwater basket weaving, what with all the interest in their field. Maybe some sort of theme park where you can go watch people weave baskets underwater. Add sharks if park attendance is low. Or a mockumentary with Will Ferrell playing the lead role. (If it hasn't been done already?)

[The Mad Monk]

last time I looked into university about 7 years ago, the cost for credits didnt vary by department. is this not the case?

That's true, but texts are more expensive, and then there are lab fees and the like, which can get pretty steep.