3 ms·

This would have been a pretty interesting story if he'd explained his decisions in detail (other options considered, what specifically he thought would happen,

This would have been a pretty interesting story if he'd explained his decisions in detail (other options considered, what specifically he thought would happen, how much research he did then, etc) and taken responsibility for the option he chose. As written, when he finally gets to his own story, the negative outcomes all seem to be described as inevitable or circumstance. The alternative choices are so simplistic ("I knew how easily my girls could be marginalized in a society where nearly all the rewards go to a small, well-educated elite," "and cutting corners to turn them out faster, I knew, would be cutting off my career") that I think his argument would have been stronger with no explanations at all.

typetypetype 11y ago
His thought process was probably "I had X, so my family will have X", without realizing how X has become less affordable over the years due to stagnant wages and rising costs. X can represent: * Children going to a college of their choice * A catered formal wedding * Owning a home * Choosing a career based on interests rather then financial stability * Having a telecom connection (cable, internet, cell phone) etc, etc...
- tamana 11y ago
  X is inflated over prevousr generation * an expensive private college * fancy catered wedding * owning a larger home * doing a white collar flex hours fun career * having lots of telecom options that didn't even exist before.
true_religion 11y ago
It's true, they could have gone to public school and had a afterschool tutor. It'd have been cheaper than private school by far, and gotten the same educational benefit without the 'rubbing shoulders with the elite' you get from private schooling. As someone who went to private school, I can say certainly it doesn't count until you go to university. It may count somewhat in highschool, but primary/grammar school isn't quite the place to make connections that people make it out to be.

typetypetype 11y ago

His thought process was probably "I had X, so my family will have X", without realizing how X has become less affordable over the years due to stagnant wages and rising costs. X can represent: * Children going to a college of their choice * A catered formal wedding * Owning a home * Choosing a career based on interests rather then financial stability * Having a telecom connection (cable, internet, cell phone) etc, etc...

tamana 11y ago
X is inflated over prevousr generation * an expensive private college * fancy catered wedding * owning a larger home * doing a white collar flex hours fun career * having lots of telecom options that didn't even exist before.

true_religion 11y ago

It's true, they could have gone to public school and had a afterschool tutor. It'd have been cheaper than private school by far, and gotten the same educational benefit without the 'rubbing shoulders with the elite' you get from private schooling. As someone who went to private school, I can say certainly it doesn't count until you go to university. It may count somewhat in highschool, but primary/grammar school isn't quite the place to make connections that people make it out to be.