[Azrael9]

It is a very bad time in history to be an Elite. The masses have gotten out of control.

Everywhere I look I see mobs of rioting fools who will not accept the fact that the rich are getting richer and poor getting poorer. They want more education and higher standards of living. But are these demands reasonable? I must agree that the standard of living of the western world has vastly decreased during the past few decades, but on the other hand, this way of life was unsustainable.

The middle class is experiencing a hard hit. This group in particular does not want to work and is afraid to become part of the growing group of lower class. This group has become content to spend year wasting away in school. Education is supposed to be a privilege not a right.

Although this may seem unjust and radical view, think about it. So many people spend years wasted in schooling. These people on average spend 20-40 hours a week in class producing nothing. They have a slack lifestyle. They talk on their cell phones and on their online networks. They do not work, and if they do, it is very limited. This is a huge burden on the system.

But private institutions known as schools push fierce advertising campaigns convincing the masses to go to school. These institutions, although often partially or fully funded by government, are nothing more than businesses trying to maximize their clientele. So the masses flock to them. Everyone wants to graduate and pay these institutions until they ruin their financial situation, and the system is flooded by university graduates in marketting or computer science. no one graduates in farming or skilled labor, everyone goes for the easiest as the advertising shows in schools, they sell you most expenssive and long term service, to maximize the school's income.

People graduate jobless and are angry. Then there are those who riot and protest education fees. They never stop and think that maybe it is they, themselves the problem and the system.

this is why the western world is in crisis. not because of politicians, but the people unwilling to accept that they are wrong and change their ways, this is only one such example. But such is human nature, egoistical and unwilling to see their faults and especially unwilling to do the hard work themseleves.

We create this world of lack and blame others for it. We have unreasonable expectations. We expect to be handed things.

[Guy_Fawkes]

I dont see Western Society in crisis at all. Yes it is rough for some people, but that is because most of those people forget how they lived before the good times; where what they have now was normal. People are used to feeling privileged and take away something they think they are entitled to and you get what we have now. Give it a few years and everyone will be back on top.

[Brenda]

Quote:

They talk on their cell phones and on their online networks.

[Proculation]

It is a good rant. But, don't forget that youth of all time thought that way. It is just that now, they are richer and can express themselves on facebook and on twitter. Then the media follows and they make it a "crisis" while it is not.

That's where the danger is.

[Robair]

Proculation wrote:

It is a good rant. But, don't forget that youth of all time thought that way. It is just that now, they are richer

Richer than when?

[PostFactum]

I don't care and live for 150 $ per month.

[Brenda]

PostFactum wrote:

I don't care and live for 150 $ per month.

I take it your rent isn't $1000/mo and a loaf of bread $2.50 on sale.

[sandorski]

Rantometer says: 1/10

Bad time to be an Elite? lol

[bootlegga]

Azrael9 wrote:

It is a very bad time in history to be an Elite. The masses have gotten out of control.

Everywhere I look I see mobs of rioting fools who will not accept the fact that the rich are getting richer and poor getting poorer. They want more education and higher standards of living. But are these demands reasonable? I must agree that the standard of living of the western world has vastly decreased during the past few decades, but on the other hand, this way of life was unsustainable.

The middle class is experiencing a hard hit. This group in particular does not want to work and is afraid to become part of the growing group of lower class. This group has become content to spend year wasting away in school. Education is supposed to be a privilege not a right.

Although this may seem unjust and radical view, think about it. So many people spend years wasted in schooling. These people on average spend 20-40 hours a week in class producing nothing. They have a slack lifestyle. They talk on their cell phones and on their online networks. They do not work, and if they do, it is very limited. This is a huge burden on the system.

But private institutions known as schools push fierce advertising campaigns convincing the masses to go to school. These institutions, although often partially or fully funded by government, are nothing more than businesses trying to maximize their clientele. So the masses flock to them. Everyone wants to graduate and pay these institutions until they ruin their financial situation, and the system is flooded by university graduates in marketting or computer science. no one graduates in farming or skilled labor, everyone goes for the easiest as the advertising shows in schools, they sell you most expenssive and long term service, to maximize the school's income.

People graduate jobless and are angry. Then there are those who riot and protest education fees. They never stop and think that maybe it is they, themselves the problem and the system.

this is why the western world is in crisis. not because of politicians, but the people unwilling to accept that they are wrong and change their ways, this is only one such example. But such is human nature, egoistical and unwilling to see their faults and especially unwilling to do the hard work themseleves.

We create this world of lack and blame others for it. We have unreasonable expectations. We expect to be handed things.

I don't know where you live, but I haven't seen "mobs of rioting fools" in years - the last time was when the Oilers were playing in the Stanley Cup Finals. My guess is you either need to move out of Mogadishu or to a town where the hockey team is NOT a contender for the Cup (sadly most Canadian cities fit the bill).

And yeah, you're right, we should cut back education drastically.

From now on, maybe anyone can become a surgeon once they've mastered the game of Operation.

All accountants will need to do is win a dozen times at Monopoly.

Officers in the Military must be able beat opponents in Risk or Battleship.

Want to be an engineer? Simply be able to build a five foot tall tower with Lego and we'll certify you!


/sarcasm off

[Peeves]

I wonder why anyone goes for an 'Arts" education. Where do they think that will get them in today's competitive work place?

As for University costs, I read where a student won a lottery and gave up the two part time jobs they were holding down to pay there living costs and University fee.

Now that's the kind of person I can respect. They were working, not chugging beer and expecting parents or a big government loan to finance a good time.

Glad the guy won,he deserves the break. He knows the value of money and has a work ethic.

[andyt]

Azrael9 wrote:

this is why the western world is in crisis. not because of politicians, but the people unwilling to accept that they are wrong and change their ways, this is only one such example. But such is human nature, egoistical and unwilling to see their faults and especially unwilling to do the hard work themseleves.

We create this world of lack and blame others for it. We have unreasonable expectations. We expect to be handed things.

You should get together with PA9 - you're a good match.

How should people change their ways? How can we quit creating lack?

[BartSimpson]

Azrael9 wrote:

It is a very bad time in history to be an Elite. The masses have gotten out of control.

Czar Nicholas and Marie Antoinette should be consoled by this radically new development.

Azrael9 wrote:

Everywhere I look I see mobs of rioting fools who will not accept the fact that the rich are getting richer and poor getting poorer.

Except that this isn't true, is it? 'Poor' people in Western countries typically have access to clean water, free health care (even in the USA), and ample enough food that the UN considers obesity amongst low-income Westerners to be a health crisis. The problem is that these people simply are not thankful for what they have and are instead envious of what someone else has.

Azrael9 wrote:

They want more education and higher standards of living. But are these demands reasonable? I must agree that the standard of living of the western world has vastly decreased during the past few decades, but on the other hand, this way of life was unsustainable.

No, it isn't. Access to a free education is not irrational and, frankly, it makes sense for a society to provide for this. The problem is that you can't have free educations and then have free health care, free housing, defined benefit retirements for all, and etc. At some point these things have to be paid for. Hell, even Europe has figured that out and Spain, the last socialist holdout in Europe, went conservative this past week.

Azrael9 wrote:

The middle class is experiencing a hard hit. This group in particular does not want to work and is afraid to become part of the growing group of lower class. This group has become content to spend year wasting away in school. Education is supposed to be a privilege not a right.

I disagree. Middle class kids, while spoilt and pampered, are deeply aware of their obligations after school given the mounting education debts they incur. Of course, where these kids typically support free educations for minorities and illegal immigrants I find it fitting that they should be the ones to pay for what they wanted to give away.

Azrael9 wrote:

Although this may seem unjust and radical view, think about it. So many people spend years wasted in schooling. These people on average spend 20-40 hours a week in class producing nothing. They have a slack lifestyle. They talk on their cell phones and on their online networks. They do not work, and if they do, it is very limited. This is a huge burden on the system.

But private institutions known as schools push fierce advertising campaigns convincing the masses to go to school. These institutions, although often partially or fully funded by government, are nothing more than businesses trying to maximize their clientele. So the masses flock to them. Everyone wants to graduate and pay these institutions until they ruin their financial situation, and the system is flooded by university graduates in marketting or computer science. no one graduates in farming or skilled labor, everyone goes for the easiest as the advertising shows in schools, they sell you most expenssive and long term service, to maximize the school's income.

People graduate jobless and are angry. Then there are those who riot and protest education fees. They never stop and think that maybe it is they, themselves the problem and the system.

this is why the western world is in crisis. not because of politicians, but the people unwilling to accept that they are wrong and change their ways, this is only one such example. But such is human nature, egoistical and unwilling to see their faults and especially unwilling to do the hard work themseleves.

We create this world of lack and blame others for it. We have unreasonable expectations. We expect to be handed things.

Simply, we need to reinstitutue the trade schools and for those kids who are not suited to a college degree we can train them to work on cars, fix trucks, drive trains, do plumbing and carpentry, and other productive things. The lie of the last fifty years is that 'everyone' should have a college degree. Sorry, it just isn't true.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

andyt wrote:

Azrael9 wrote:

this is why the western world is in crisis. not because of politicians, but the people unwilling to accept that they are wrong and change their ways, this is only one such example. But such is human nature, egoistical and unwilling to see their faults and especially unwilling to do the hard work themseleves.

We create this world of lack and blame others for it. We have unreasonable expectations. We expect to be handed things.

You should get together with PA9 - you're a good match.

How should people change their ways? How can we quit creating lack?

You should get together with a reading and comprehension coach. Or maybe some sort of specialist that deals with Selective Reading Disorder. Where did I say it was ALL the "people's" fault? I said they need to OWN their part of the problem instead of laying it all on someone else's doorstep.
This is simply an extension of that lack of personal responsibility that's become so prevalent.
I'm not talking about the actual OWS movement, a LOT of Americans got completely fucked and neither Bush or Obama have given two shits about it.

Think about it, there would be fewer companies making record profits while paying minimum wage and hiring part time if people stopped buying their stuff, and the corporations knew why they stopped buying it.
And in cases where that's pretty much impossible, at least reduce your use and reliance on their stuff.
But no, you prefer the instant gratification method same as the rest of these people protesting in Canada.
But of course, yer right andy. Why should people go without various luxuries and obvious non-essentials to get their point across? They have every right to protest the gross excesses while handing the perpetrators their hard earned cash.

Just like when WalMart opened in Cambridge and killed off a good portion of the independent shop owners businesses in Preston. I still had every right to give my money to the very corporation I was pissed off at, especially since WalMart could sell products for cheaper than the indie guy's cost.
But I haven't set foot in one. That's called voting with your wallet. All it takes is some willingness to stand by your convictions instead of falling prey to convenience and/or cheap prices.

[Lemmy]

Peeves wrote:

I wonder why anyone goes for an 'Arts" education. Where do they think that will get them in today's competitive work place? As for University costs, I read where a student won a lottery and gave up the two part time jobs they were holding down to pay there(sic) living costs and University fee.

Because the purpose of university is education, not job training. Somewhere that got lost in highschool guidance bullshit. But I speak to employers all the time and more and more they tell me that they WANT people with Arts degrees. They want people that know how to think critically and problem solve. Hightech employers tell me they prefer history majors over science or technology grads because history majors leave university with the most developed ability to think critically. Even faculties of medicine are increasingly admitting people with arts/social-science degrees over science majors.

[ShepherdsDog]

Quote:

Because the purpose of university is education, not job training

In the liberal arts(Education being an exception), that is mostly true. However, in the sciences, not so much. I don't know of too many people who have gone into engineering, medicine or law with no intention of becoming engineers, doctors or lawyers.I did my MA specifically to get more money in the field I was working in(when the little pricks pay on time). Knowledge is a commodity.