4 ms·

> Then take the high road first. The high road doesn't pay the rent. It doesn't feed your kids. You're in an incredibly privileged position Walter, and unlike

> Then take the high road first. The high road doesn't pay the rent. It doesn't feed your kids. You're in an incredibly privileged position Walter, and unlike the vast majority of people you have actual bargaining power and the ability to negotiate terms. Most everything you've written in this thread is incredibly out of touch with the situation many workers, especially ones that would find themselves working at an Amazon warehouse, find themselves in.

WalterBright 4y ago
I come from a lower middle class family. I went to public school. My parents paid for half of my college, I did the other half. These days anyone can get a loan for the full ride. My parents financed my other endeavors with exactly $0. I'm bald, not tall and nobody has ever called me handsome. Starbucks offers to pay full college tuition for their employees. I suspect the salient difference with me is I see opportunity everywhere in America, where others do not. All I'm doing here is pointing out that opportunity. Note that the millions who try to sweep over the border into America seem to see that opportunity, too.
- giraffe_lady 4y ago
  And you don't stop to consider why everyone doesn't see the same opportunities you did? That maybe something has changed since you took advantage of them? > Starbucks offers to pay full college tuition for their employees. No starbucks offers tuition reimbursement, for the online programs only, at one school, for some degrees, if you complete the entire degree while working at starbucks. Almost no one is actually able to take advantage of that. It's for their customers to feel better about supporting starbucks not for their workers to go to college. This is actually a great opportunity for you to pull your head out of your ass and see how the world actually is, instead of how it was for you or how you think it should be.
  - WalterBright 4y ago
    > That maybe something has changed since you took advantage of them? Some things have indeed changed: 1. it's easy to get a loan for the full cost of college 2. pay for STEM engineers is a lot higher 3. you can start a business and reach a worldwide audience for free 4. you can start a business and hand over the logistics of shipping world wide for free (i.e. pay as you go, no upfront costs) 5. you can learn anything you want, via the internet, instantly for free 6. you can start investing in stocks for only a few bucks, with ZERO commission fees 7. you can reach collaborators for your business all over the world, for nothing 8. you can get funding via gofundme.com or kickstarter.com. Wow! 9. if you run an online business, nobody needs to know your name, background, race, religion, age, gender, whatever, unless you choose to tell them. Even then, you can just make it up, because nobody checks or cares None of this was available in my youth. Want a ticket from poverty to the middle class? This works: a. stay in school b. pay attention in school and learn the stuff c. get a loan and go to college, selecting a lucrative major d. don't do drugs e. don't do crimes.
    - genocidicbunny 4y ago
      > 1. it's easy to get a loan for the full cost of college And then spend the next few decades paying it off, having it as a constant stress. > 2. pay for STEM engineers is a lot higher Not everyone can be a STEM engineer. Not everyone wants to be; Society would be pretty terrible if all we had was STEM engineers. > 5. you can learn anything you want, via the internet, instantly for free Only for some skills. Watching some youtube videos will not make you a competent woodworker. > 9. if you run an online business, nobody needs to know your name, background, race, religion, age, gender, whatever, unless you choose to tell them. Even then, you can just make it up, because nobody checks or cares Until a lawsuit comes your way, or the local tax man decides to come by. As soon as your business becomes mildly successful, that easy anonymity starts to disappear. > Want a ticket from poverty to the middle class? This works: You forgot one more point: f. get extremely lucky to never suffer financial setbacks. Be lucky to have parents who aren't so overworked that you're forced to spend your time taking care of siblings. Be lucky to have parents that can even work into their older age. Be lucky to never suffer a major health problem that financially ruins you. Be lucky to never be injured or hurt such that you can work.
    - 4y ago

WalterBright 4y ago

I come from a lower middle class family. I went to public school. My parents paid for half of my college, I did the other half. These days anyone can get a loan for the full ride. My parents financed my other endeavors with exactly $0. I'm bald, not tall and nobody has ever called me handsome. Starbucks offers to pay full college tuition for their employees. I suspect the salient difference with me is I see opportunity everywhere in America, where others do not. All I'm doing here is pointing out that opportunity. Note that the millions who try to sweep over the border into America seem to see that opportunity, too.

giraffe_lady 4y ago
And you don't stop to consider why everyone doesn't see the same opportunities you did? That maybe something has changed since you took advantage of them? > Starbucks offers to pay full college tuition for their employees. No starbucks offers tuition reimbursement, for the online programs only, at one school, for some degrees, if you complete the entire degree while working at starbucks. Almost no one is actually able to take advantage of that. It's for their customers to feel better about supporting starbucks not for their workers to go to college. This is actually a great opportunity for you to pull your head out of your ass and see how the world actually is, instead of how it was for you or how you think it should be.
- WalterBright 4y ago
  > That maybe something has changed since you took advantage of them? Some things have indeed changed: 1. it's easy to get a loan for the full cost of college 2. pay for STEM engineers is a lot higher 3. you can start a business and reach a worldwide audience for free 4. you can start a business and hand over the logistics of shipping world wide for free (i.e. pay as you go, no upfront costs) 5. you can learn anything you want, via the internet, instantly for free 6. you can start investing in stocks for only a few bucks, with ZERO commission fees 7. you can reach collaborators for your business all over the world, for nothing 8. you can get funding via gofundme.com or kickstarter.com. Wow! 9. if you run an online business, nobody needs to know your name, background, race, religion, age, gender, whatever, unless you choose to tell them. Even then, you can just make it up, because nobody checks or cares None of this was available in my youth. Want a ticket from poverty to the middle class? This works: a. stay in school b. pay attention in school and learn the stuff c. get a loan and go to college, selecting a lucrative major d. don't do drugs e. don't do crimes.
  - genocidicbunny 4y ago
    > 1. it's easy to get a loan for the full cost of college And then spend the next few decades paying it off, having it as a constant stress. > 2. pay for STEM engineers is a lot higher Not everyone can be a STEM engineer. Not everyone wants to be; Society would be pretty terrible if all we had was STEM engineers. > 5. you can learn anything you want, via the internet, instantly for free Only for some skills. Watching some youtube videos will not make you a competent woodworker. > 9. if you run an online business, nobody needs to know your name, background, race, religion, age, gender, whatever, unless you choose to tell them. Even then, you can just make it up, because nobody checks or cares Until a lawsuit comes your way, or the local tax man decides to come by. As soon as your business becomes mildly successful, that easy anonymity starts to disappear. > Want a ticket from poverty to the middle class? This works: You forgot one more point: f. get extremely lucky to never suffer financial setbacks. Be lucky to have parents who aren't so overworked that you're forced to spend your time taking care of siblings. Be lucky to have parents that can even work into their older age. Be lucky to never suffer a major health problem that financially ruins you. Be lucky to never be injured or hurt such that you can work.
  - 4y ago