The occupation of wallstreet

[Gregorio]

I started typing some long thing up...but a "job system" is an extremely vague concept and you really could go anywhere with it. Why is it broken that you have to be competitive to get a job? Getting a degree is one way to attempt to show them you're qualified, but doesn't guarantee a job. As more people get college educations, it's going to be easier for employers to be picky, and you have to find a way to make yourself look better. I thought this was obvious?

[notorious bum]

You decided to spend the money you did not have. Why should not paying back your loans even be considered a form of protest? These people are not protesting interest rates. It is just foolish to think that there is anyone to blame besides yourself for going to said college, getting what you find to be a worthless degree, and then saying you can not pay it off with a normal job.


The biggest danger to the world in 2012 quite possibly is the inability for people to accept responsibility for their actions and do something about them. The people on Wall Street won't accept responsibility, and the normal populous generally does not either (IE not paying back loans they took out). So where is the buck, and this brewing global anger going to stop?

GTFO of here with that bullshit story of accepting responsibility. People try to better themselves and you think they fucking deserve a life of destitute and servitude working as a Mickey D's manager? Turn off Fox News for a second and think about why life is a living hell for the college youth out there. Here's a hint: They're not out there protesting just for fun, chances are alot of them are 1 step away from homelessness, if they're not already living on couches or on the street.

This is reality, wake up.

[Ksandra]

Why is it broken that you have to be competitive to get a job?

There is more than one way to make it competitive. Ie. make it about your knowledge vs. how much money mommy and daddy own.

[mallister]

everyone's one step away from homelessness being a college student. you know, that's kind of part of leaving...home.

[Gregorio]

GTFO of here with that bullshit story of accepting responsibility. People try to better themselves and you think they fucking deserve a life of destitute and servitude working as a Mickey D's manager? Turn off Fox News for a second and think about why life is a living hell for the college youth out there. Here's a hint: They're not out there protesting just for fun, chances are alot of them are 1 step away from homelessness, if they're not already living on couches or on the street.

This is reality, wake up.

So basically, you're mad you made a stupid decision so you want other people to pay for your mistake?

Gotcha.

[Ksandra]

everyone's one step away from homelessness being a college student. you know, that's kind of part of leaving...home.

I read this three times and still can't process wtf.


home =/= a house

[Heavencloud]

Just got back from the Portland protest... 5,000-6,000 people. Damn. I'll post some pics I took in a minute.

I felt like one of the few educated people there. Although there was quite a range of people overall... but it's portland, so mostly hippies.

[Gregorio]

I read this three times and still can't process wtf.


home =/= a house

Home is where you make it

Spoiler: show

http://files.sharenator.com/homos_na...x552-67335.jpg

[mallister]

I read this three times and still can't process wtf.


home =/= a house

leave parent's home, go to college, you own nothing (unless you are well off and mom and pop bought you a house), etc. when you're finished with school, you still don't own anything, likely don't have a job, and are going to either move back in with your folks or sponge off friends for a bit. no job, no money, no property, pretty close to homeless.

[Meresgi]

leave parent's home, go to college, you own nothing (unless you are well off and mom and pop bought you a house), etc. when you're finished with school, you still don't own anything, likely don't have a job, and are going to either move back in with your folks or sponge off friends for a bit. no job, no money, no property, pretty close to homeless.

Pretty much, i'm homeless right now and living with fiances parents as I can't find any jobs.

[Gregorio]

There is more than one way to make it competitive. Ie. make it about your knowledge vs. how much money mommy and daddy own.

A lot of jobs do that...looking at experience over education, or intensive application procedures. And I've yet to fill out an application for a job that asks me what my parents make...not really sure where you're going with that one?

[Ksandra]

and are going to either move back in with your folks or sponge off friends for a bit.

Hey look, they have a home.

none of what you said = verge of homelessness. Being on the verge are the few that HAVE no parents or friends in which to help them.

[Ksandra]

A lot of jobs do that...looking at experience over education, or intensive application procedures. And I've yet to fill out an application for a job that asks me what my parents make...not really sure where you're going with that one?

I meant colleges dummy. You can make a degree more valuable by making it harder to get, schools don't give a shit about that for the most part anymore, just their tuition.

AI professors are no longer allowed to fail their students. Why? because failed students = no longer getting money from them. This is hugely growing among A LOT of colleges.

[mallister]

been there, done that. it's called growing up and dealing with life. i'm not sure what the indignation and surprise is about. most folks have to go through it at one point or another.

[notorious bum]

So basically, you're mad you made a stupid decision so you want other people to pay for your mistake?

Gotcha.

Except it was a smart decision when I started school, hindsight is 20/20. Nobody should have to be punished for choosing the "wrong" career by accident. Why is this so hard to comprehend?

Would you rather have a nation filled with dumbasses and uneducated, unmotivated lazy fucks who choose not to pursue higher education due to the possible repercussions of getting fucked by criminal tuition rates that you can't pay back in exchange for a lottery ticket in a dead job market?

Yeah, this country is headed down the right path with that mentality.

[Headspace]

A lot of jobs do that...looking at experience over education, or intensive application procedures. And I've yet to fill out an application for a job that asks me what my parents make...not really sure where you're going with that one?

But in most fields, you can't get the experience without the education.

[Elrina]

I'm curious, because this keeps going back and forth. A few of you keep saying people need to accept responsibility for their actions, and I can agree with that. But the kids who took out loans did so because they were led to the belief by others that when they did, they would be employable. And right now most aren't, even with the degree.

They were taught in public education that if they went to college, they would be able to get a better job and lead a better life, but their only option to do so is a shitty and enormous loan. They do so, because that's the only chance most of them will have at that "better life", but when they finally graduate, if they're able to get a job at all, it's minimum wage and highly contested against other people who don't even have degrees.

Where is the responsibility of the teachers, of the loan officers, of the corporations and businesses with all the smiles telling them about what great opportunities lie ahead in their future while they're going to school? Why are corporations hoarding their money to make the wealthy more wealthy instead of expanding their business to actually provide employment for a lot of these people? And what else are the teachers supposed to even tell them, because while taking out a loan on your life may end up with you completely screwed and unemployed afterward, it's basically the only way the majority even have a chance at that better life.

So now we have tens of thousands of kids with college loans and no jobs available, with a similar theme. They made a decision, and should accept responsibility, but they were also as good as coerced, because what the fuck else are they supposed to do? So where's the responsibility for the source of that coercion?

The system is broken, as it is, and needs serious and substantial changes. Responsibility goes more than one way, and while they should be responsible for the loans they took out, they can't exactly pay back money they don't have. And if they do manage to find menial work, and just manage to scrape by with it, they aren't exactly going to have enough to pay on that student loan even if they wanted to. I have two friends with degrees who both make less than $20k/year, and one friend without one who makes around $35k/year, because he had connections and learned fast and did excellent work.

I keep seeing a few of you spout off about people being responsible for decisions they made, but you neglect to hold the system accountable for it's failures to them. There is no easy way to hold the system itself accountable, the corporations and government, that led us to this. They have the ability to fend it off, and every reason to exercise that ability, because real change would challenge their bottom lines. Without widespread public outrage like this (worse than this really, but it looks like it might get there), there is no realistic chance of real change coming about.

[Gregorio]

Except it was a smart decision when I started school, hindsight is 20/20. Nobody should have to be punished for choosing the "wrong" career by accident. Why is this so hard to comprehend?

Would you rather have a nation filled with dumbasses and uneducated, unmotivated lazy fucks who choose not to pursue higher education due to the possible repercussions of getting fucked by criminal tuition rates that you can't pay back in exchange for a lottery ticket in a dead job market?

Yeah, this country is headed down the right path with that mentality.

You're not being punished...you're paying for something you bought. Why is this so hard to comprehend?

I'd rather have a nation filled with people who pay their debts and don't enter into situations where they won't be able to. That way, one of those housing crisis situations won't occur again.

But if you want to stick it to the man by not paying your debts and blowing up your credit score, be my guest. That'll really learn them their lesson.

[mallister]

my job has nothing to do with my degree. it was honestly a waste of time for me to get, though it seemed a wise decision at the time. when i couldn't find a job i liked/could stand/could survive on with my degree, i made do until i was able to do something else.

life isn't perfect or pretty or even fair. i'm sorry folks are waking up and realizing this and it's chapped their asses somewhat.

[Heavencloud]

Outrageously hueg pictures from Occupy Portland:

Spoiler: show

Btw, these protests fail because they have no leader/speaker. The portland one today would've been AWESOME if we would've had some sort of speaker after we marched through downtown. Still a fun experience though, but could be more meaningful.