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So you call a millennial getting a degree not ‘personally responsible’? Disclaimer: anecdotes ahead, but I know many, many millennials who grew up hearing ‘Just

by jfaat 9y ago

So you call a millennial getting a degree not ‘personally responsible’? Disclaimer: anecdotes ahead, but I know many, many millennials who grew up hearing ‘Just get a college degree and you’ll be in good shape’ who did and aren’t, respectively. Not everyone is geared toward being an engineer or mathematician or scientist. For those who aren’t, and followed the resounding conventional wisdom to get a degree, largely got screwed. Full stop. Personal responsibility would hold water in a world where millennials gave up on the system and got screwed. This isn’t that world.

prepend 9y ago
“Just get a college degree” means they weren’t listening closely. I heard to get a marketable degree. I have friends with English degrees with no student loans that are happy. I have friends with English degrees with $150k in debt, not happy.
111_1_111 9y ago
Depends what degree they get. If you're pursuing a degree in English, Art History, Political Science, Women's Studies, etc without a clear plan for a career after your degree, that is irresponsible. > I know many, many millennials who grew up hearing ‘Just get a college degree and you’ll be in good shape’ who did and aren’t, respectively. Getting a useless degree because other people told you to and then blaming it on society seems like the very definition of not being personally responsible.
SheepSlapper 9y ago
It depends on the degree. I'm a Millennial and got my CS degree for $15k, which was a smart investment (and make no mistakes, degrees ARE investments). At the same time I have a friend who is going into a few hundred thousand dollars worth of debt to get a PHD in History. That's not a good investment, when you look at time + money vs return. "Just get a degree" is bad advice. I know electricians that make more money than me, and work shorter hours. "Get a skill" is good advice, and college is only one way of doing that. But you can't dismiss personal responsibility when it comes to decision making, both good and bad.
- dreamcompiler 9y ago
  > I know electricians that make more money than me, and work shorter hours. I don't know what you do for a living, but I'm guessing it doesn't involve contorting yourself into a pretzel inside a hot attic and twisting wires together all day. Electricians work hard and come home sore.
  - SheepSlapper 9y ago
    I sit at a desk getting carpal tunnel and fat. I've got respect for my buddies doing what they do, and being successful without a college degree. That's more or less my point, college isn't a good investment for everyone.

by jfaat 9y ago

prepend 9y ago

“Just get a college degree” means they weren’t listening closely. I heard to get a marketable degree. I have friends with English degrees with no student loans that are happy. I have friends with English degrees with $150k in debt, not happy.

111_1_111 9y ago

Depends what degree they get. If you're pursuing a degree in English, Art History, Political Science, Women's Studies, etc without a clear plan for a career after your degree, that is irresponsible. > I know many, many millennials who grew up hearing ‘Just get a college degree and you’ll be in good shape’ who did and aren’t, respectively. Getting a useless degree because other people told you to and then blaming it on society seems like the very definition of not being personally responsible.

SheepSlapper 9y ago

It depends on the degree. I'm a Millennial and got my CS degree for $15k, which was a smart investment (and make no mistakes, degrees ARE investments). At the same time I have a friend who is going into a few hundred thousand dollars worth of debt to get a PHD in History. That's not a good investment, when you look at time + money vs return. "Just get a degree" is bad advice. I know electricians that make more money than me, and work shorter hours. "Get a skill" is good advice, and college is only one way of doing that. But you can't dismiss personal responsibility when it comes to decision making, both good and bad.

dreamcompiler 9y ago
> I know electricians that make more money than me, and work shorter hours. I don't know what you do for a living, but I'm guessing it doesn't involve contorting yourself into a pretzel inside a hot attic and twisting wires together all day. Electricians work hard and come home sore.
- SheepSlapper 9y ago
  I sit at a desk getting carpal tunnel and fat. I've got respect for my buddies doing what they do, and being successful without a college degree. That's more or less my point, college isn't a good investment for everyone.