5 ms·

Three Simple Rules Poor Teens Should Follow to Join the Middle Class (2013)

14 points by docdeek 6y ago

docdeek 6y ago
The rules: - finish high school - get a full-time job - wait until age 21 to get married and have children. "Our research shows that of American adults who followed these three simple rules, only about 2 percent are in poverty and nearly 75 percent have joined the middle class (defined as earning around $55,000 or more per year). There are surely influences other than these principles at play, but following them guides a young adult away from poverty and toward the middle class."
- pianoben 6y ago
  Ironic, then, that poverty greatly hampers the ability to follow nos. 1 and 2. Full-time employment increasingly requires a college education, which not only requires high school, but is increasingly expensive as well. I've known several promising people who, rather than undertake loans, simply dropped out and took a few part-time jobs to help their families with immediate needs. Not to say that the rules can't be followed or don't help, but poverty is a trap and it's not correct to invert these rules - that is, to say "you're struggling so clearly you didn't do the right things" is wrong.
- dionidium 6y ago
  It seems fairly obvious that this is circular reasoning, which is to say that doing these three things alone won't make you successful, but the kind of person who is likely to be successful is also likely to do these three things. Once you realize that, this advice reduces to, "In order to be successful, be the kind of person who is successful."
- norswap 6y ago
  Here's a basic failure to even contemplate the motto that "correlation is not causation".
Rumperuu 6y ago
YouTube series Some More News briefly addressed this study in their episode "Perhaps Ben Shapiro Shouldn't Be Taken Seriously By Anyone About Anything".[0] Brookings also followed this up with a report entitled "Following the success sequence? Success is more likely if you’re white."[1] Note that I don't mean to make any claims as to OP's political outlook or motives in sharing this article. [0] https://youtu.be/aDMjgOYOcDw?t=594 https://youtu.be/aDMjgOYOcDw?t=594 [1] https://www.brookings.edu/research/following-the-success-sequence-success-is-more-likely-if-youre-white/ https://www.brookings.edu/research/following-the-success-seq...
- docdeek 6y ago
  OP here. I found the article via a link elsewhere but checked on Brookings' reputation before submitting. From my (granted non-American) perspective and based on various links and citations on their Wikipedia page, they seemed about as centrist as you might be for a think tank. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookings_Institution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookings_Institution My own political outlook is largely libertarian but with a predilection for voting for whatever local politician brings the Tour de France within spitting distance of my apartment. ;)
pmdulaney 6y ago
As a conservative, I have to say, this is extremely reasonable advice coming from the left-of-center Brookings Institution. As someone in his sixties, however, I would like to add that as much as we would like to believe in nurture over nature, it does seem that the biggest difference between those who thrive and those who don't is that some seem to lack the drive, the initiative to make things happen in their lives. If it is in your personality to be ambitious and optimistic, probably nothing can hold you back. For people with naturally passive personalities, you had better have been born with lots of external support. Life isn't fair, but as a conservative I am not in favor of enforcing equal outcomes for everyone. But just about everybody who "made it" in their chosen life's work can think of several people who reached out to give them a chance. Be that person if you can.
- locopati 6y ago
  Maybe poverty and the stress of living in poverty has an effect on with drive and initiative.
  - pmdulaney 6y ago
    No doubt.
- WalterGR 6y ago
  Wait, do people make it because their personality is ambitious and optimistic or because several people reach out and give them a chance?
insickness 6y ago
So... what are the three rules? The author mentions three 'stark realities'--poor children don't get support, enter kindergarten behind their peers and make bad decisions. But those aren't rules. Am I missing something?

14 points by docdeek 6y ago

The rules: - finish high school - get a full-time job - wait until age 21 to get married and have children. "Our research shows that of American adults who followed these three simple rules, only about 2 percent are in poverty and nearly 75 percent have joined the middle class (defined as earning around $55,000 or more per year). There are surely influences other than these principles at play, but following them guides a young adult away from poverty and toward the middle class."

pianoben 6y ago
Ironic, then, that poverty greatly hampers the ability to follow nos. 1 and 2. Full-time employment increasingly requires a college education, which not only requires high school, but is increasingly expensive as well. I've known several promising people who, rather than undertake loans, simply dropped out and took a few part-time jobs to help their families with immediate needs. Not to say that the rules can't be followed or don't help, but poverty is a trap and it's not correct to invert these rules - that is, to say "you're struggling so clearly you didn't do the right things" is wrong.
dionidium 6y ago
It seems fairly obvious that this is circular reasoning, which is to say that doing these three things alone won't make you successful, but the kind of person who is likely to be successful is also likely to do these three things. Once you realize that, this advice reduces to, "In order to be successful, be the kind of person who is successful."
norswap 6y ago
Here's a basic failure to even contemplate the motto that "correlation is not causation".

Rumperuu 6y ago

YouTube series Some More News briefly addressed this study in their episode "Perhaps Ben Shapiro Shouldn't Be Taken Seriously By Anyone About Anything".[0] Brookings also followed this up with a report entitled "Following the success sequence? Success is more likely if you’re white."[1] Note that I don't mean to make any claims as to OP's political outlook or motives in sharing this article. [0] https://youtu.be/aDMjgOYOcDw?t=594 https://youtu.be/aDMjgOYOcDw?t=594 [1] https://www.brookings.edu/research/following-the-success-sequence-success-is-more-likely-if-youre-white/ https://www.brookings.edu/research/following-the-success-seq...

docdeek 6y ago
OP here. I found the article via a link elsewhere but checked on Brookings' reputation before submitting. From my (granted non-American) perspective and based on various links and citations on their Wikipedia page, they seemed about as centrist as you might be for a think tank. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookings_Institution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookings_Institution My own political outlook is largely libertarian but with a predilection for voting for whatever local politician brings the Tour de France within spitting distance of my apartment. ;)

pmdulaney 6y ago

As a conservative, I have to say, this is extremely reasonable advice coming from the left-of-center Brookings Institution. As someone in his sixties, however, I would like to add that as much as we would like to believe in nurture over nature, it does seem that the biggest difference between those who thrive and those who don't is that some seem to lack the drive, the initiative to make things happen in their lives. If it is in your personality to be ambitious and optimistic, probably nothing can hold you back. For people with naturally passive personalities, you had better have been born with lots of external support. Life isn't fair, but as a conservative I am not in favor of enforcing equal outcomes for everyone. But just about everybody who "made it" in their chosen life's work can think of several people who reached out to give them a chance. Be that person if you can.

locopati 6y ago
Maybe poverty and the stress of living in poverty has an effect on with drive and initiative.
- pmdulaney 6y ago
  No doubt.
WalterGR 6y ago
Wait, do people make it because their personality is ambitious and optimistic or because several people reach out and give them a chance?

insickness 6y ago

So... what are the three rules? The author mentions three 'stark realities'--poor children don't get support, enter kindergarten behind their peers and make bad decisions. But those aren't rules. Am I missing something?