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These articles are depressing to me but for entirely different reasons from those listed in this and the thread on the previous article. They show a severe cas
by abduhl 15y ago
These articles are depressing to me but for entirely different reasons from those listed in this and the thread on the previous article. They show a severe case of entitlement and a large disconnect between what the writers want and what they're worth.
Common complaints amongst these letters fall into three categories:
1. "I was tricked into going to an expensive college"
2. "Other people screwed around but happened to network while I was busy studying all the time"
3. "I've been screwed over by the previous generation for reasons x, y, and z (usually debt, taxes, and the rich getting richer)"
All of these complaints are rather childish and point towards other people being the problem. Out of all of the letters, very few accept any blame and those that do are quick to deflect it with a "yes, but" type statement that leads into argument 1, 2, or 3.
You are not entitled to a job. A degree no longer sets you apart and the cost of college is the price of doing business in the world today in most large industries. You need to differentiate yourself in today's world and, more importantly, you need to be adaptable. Learning doesn't stop when you get your degree.
- mkr-hn 15y agoI don't know anyone who thinks that way, and I know hundreds of people in my age range. A lot of these articles are like street interviews where the interviewer finds a lot of dissenting opinions, but only plays those in agreement with the target narrative.
- tick80 15y agoIt always disappoints me when I hear that point number two is such a successful tactic. I have read quite a few books from people in influential positions, and even today it's mostly not "what you know" but "who you know". You can be an alcoholic with other serious drug addiction problems, and yet powerful positions are dropped onto your lap because that very alcoholism rewards you with the best networking opportunities. It just fuels the image that is presented to us by the likes of reality TV and gossip magazines.
- ericflo 15y agoWell, since what you know is that it's all about who you know then it's really about what you know, now, isn't it? ;)
- rick888 15y ago"It always disappoints me when I hear that point number two is such a successful tactic. I have read quite a few books from people in influential positions, and even today it's mostly not "what you know" but "who you know" Networking has been fundamental to jobs because humans are mostly social animals. People always complain about this, but with the Internet, you can network with more people than you ever could in the past, making it easier to get your foot in the door. I didn't have a network when I got out of college, so I made one. I now have friends and acquaintances that I can call if I'm ever out of a job. I won't get the job immediately, but it will at least help me an interview. It's not difficult to do this, you just need to be friendly and social with people in your industry.
- Tichy 15y agoI can relate somewhat, because when I went to university I was pretty clueless about choosing careers, entrepreneurship and whatnot. I had not yet discovered Paul Graham's writings (maybe they were not written yet). Of course I could have spent my time better, I could have started a company in young years and so on. A number of factors led to me not doing so (not the least I was too chicken for it). And I think part of it was lack of successful role models. The point is: yes, you have any number of opportunities most of the time. But seeing them is not a given. The easiest example: you could make a lot of money on the stock market today, by investing in the right stocks. But knowing which stocks they are is not trivial... Life choices are essentially just investing.