re: The importance of student debt to the consumerist economy

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The stupidity of this statement is just astounding. People should do whatever they need to do to get where they want.

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Do you realize that taking on massive amounts of debts hinders the next generation from growth and prosper? It creates a cycle that is hard to be broken. If I have to continually pay my debts, then I can't put back for my daughter's education. Then she will have to take out debt and so forth.

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Student loans have become the student equivalent to welfare. People use them because its easy not because they don't have other options. Hell half the people that take out loans just get them so they'll have money to blow.

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I agree with this. There is no requirement to go into debt to get thru school. I didn't and lots of other people don't either.

The problem with student loans is that too many people take out $100K in loans to attend Vanderbilt to be a social worker knowing damn well that it doesn't pay worth a shite. Students get fixated on a particular school and don't look at value. I have a friend with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice. He could've obtained the same degree from Sam Houston State for a third the price.....and SHSU is actually a better C.J. school.

It's becoming more difficult every year as tuition outpaces inflation. It's a reinforcing cycle too. More kids take out loans to pay for the more expensive school which allows schools to keep raising tuition.

It's great that you hard working folks got your degree in 4-5 years working full time and getting a 4.0 in engineering. It doesn't make that the ideal way to go about the continuing education our population needs in the 21st century. More direct state funding would be a nice statrt. Kids being more mindful of what they are using their loans to pay for is another important piece.

Higher Ed needs some rebalancing of the payment structure to better serve the needs of the country. While there's certainly merit in the idea not everyone should take out huge loans for worthless degrees, I'm not buying the no loans method as a realistic answer.

There's some interesting material here. But the fact that you are the President of tRant Tinfoil Hat Club obscures your message.

Newsflash: there's no conspiracy here. You make an investment in your education to the extent that you feel it will pay off for you. And to the extent that you can afford it, either now or later when you make the payments. Student debt is --- like most everything else --- not nearly the complex issue that you have twisted it around to be.

Go get a life.

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That's the entire point of my statement. If you can't pay your debt, then you shouldn't be borrowing the money. Ultimately it has done you zero good.

Get a job to pay for school, or borrow money only if it can be paid off quickly after graduation.

We've created an entire generation of dumbasses with $60k in debt and nothing to show for it except for a general business degree that pays squat.

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I don't think you realize how much the economic landscape has change in the past ten years. There aren't a lot, if any, entry level jobs that require a high school diploma that will also allow you the time to take classes. I think that people without a lot of money should definitely look at going the juco route for the first two years. It will cut the cost a good bit.

Do you know how much tuition and housing is at your average state school?

It's not impossible, but you're adding on an extra couple of semesters at the least. That also costs the earning potential of working and starting a career. You might have no debt but you're likely starting later and paid more for your degree. You're paying the price either way imho.

You know I respect your path, but you need to approach the problem on a broader scale.

Is one person enough?

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Honestly, Obama's announcement to subsidize community college at tax payers expense wasn't my least favorite thing he's ever done. Getting people into trades is vastly underrated and if people go that route we have a lot more middle class people, instead of people in poverty, with a penchant for crime.

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I really wish this aspect of his presidency got more attention.

For you guys debating between prices/wages then and now, it really doesn't matter. Yeah, there's a relative debate to be had with that, but as far as the point attempted with the meme it's mostly irrelevant that a person is able to work really hard and pay for school, or go to a cheaper school, or whatever variables result in no debt.

Without being a dick, you're missing the entire point if you think a debt-free success story has any relevance.

We're looking at the WHOLE. The entire picture.

If you're an awesome-super person that was able to go to school while working to pay for it, great. But you're an outliner.

In general, for the average situation, debt, and lots of it must be taken on to get a quality college education.

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I think the point of the meme is to see the impact of debt and indoctrination on young people and how that translates to a population of adults who are financially pressured into participating in a consumerist economy, as well as mentally trained to do so without questioning it -- and if they do end up still questioning, they're likely so committed with work, commute, everyday responsibilities to self educate and give real time to questioning society.

More things to be said.

But life.