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> joining the merchant fleet, one of the military branches, or some other professional venture where your accommodation and other expenses are provided for you.

> joining the merchant fleet, one of the military branches, or some other professional venture where your accommodation and other expenses are provided for you. Requires education. Requires education. Requires education. So available to some, but not all of the poor. We're a long way from the days when people would be crimped into being sailors. And a couple of generations away from when people without a High School diploma or GED could join the military, at least in the USA.

carlosjobim 4y ago
The USA is not the world, I don't understand why you would have such a perspective on an international forum like this? Of course there are ways for people to get a high school diploma even after high school if they want to join the military. As for education: You absolutely can join the commercial fleet without an education. There aren't any education requirements for kitchen hands or cabin cleaners. You have the mandatory safety training for work at sea, but usually the company hiring you will pay for that.
- anonymouskimmer 4y ago
  That's why I said "at least in the USA". I can only speak to what I am familiar with. Would you rather no one say that "this advice is not applicable in my area"? I've seen so many older US citizens over the last decade or so say "join the military" that I want to push back on this. What was so during the Vietnam war, when a draft was ongoing, is not so anymore. I stand corrected wrt the merchant fleet.
  - carlosjobim 4y ago
    > That's why I said "at least in the USA". Yes, I have to give you credit for this. As to these senior citizens giving this advice and me giving this advice: It is a solution for many people. Speaking worldwide, so many thousands of poor are lifting themselves out of that destiny and becoming middle class through joining the military. Many do it in countries that haven't seen real war in a century. Instead of killing or being killed, their career might consist of things such as natural disaster relief. I'm disappointed - but not surprised - with the negative reaction of the HN commenters (not speaking about you) to any kind of suggestion for real life solutions. It is obvious that many people here prefer to discuss among themselves utopian fantasies of what other people - "the government" - should do some day in the future to help the poor. In the meanwhile it is for the poor to just stay poor and shut up until the geniuses bless them with a cure. The reason I mentioned the military branches, is because it is something almost all countries in the world have in common where you have your living expenses included. This is my main point, to both make and save money at the same time.
    - anonymouskimmer 4y ago
      > As to these senior citizens giving this advice and me giving this advice: It is a solution for many people. The one that first triggered me was a senior citizen telling this to a high school dropout. Without a GED it's effectively impossible for a typical high school dropout to join the military in the US. And even with a GED there are absolute limits to the number of candidates they will accept. https://www.operationmilitarykids.org/can-you-join-the-military-with-a-ged/ https://www.operationmilitarykids.org/can-you-join-the-milit... Though apparently the US Army briefly relaxed this requirement last year: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-army-no-ged-high-school-diploma-needed-to-apply/ar-AAYQqTU https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-army-no-ged-high-school... > This is my main point, to both make and save money at the same time. It's a good point.

carlosjobim 4y ago

The USA is not the world, I don't understand why you would have such a perspective on an international forum like this? Of course there are ways for people to get a high school diploma even after high school if they want to join the military. As for education: You absolutely can join the commercial fleet without an education. There aren't any education requirements for kitchen hands or cabin cleaners. You have the mandatory safety training for work at sea, but usually the company hiring you will pay for that.

anonymouskimmer 4y ago
That's why I said "at least in the USA". I can only speak to what I am familiar with. Would you rather no one say that "this advice is not applicable in my area"? I've seen so many older US citizens over the last decade or so say "join the military" that I want to push back on this. What was so during the Vietnam war, when a draft was ongoing, is not so anymore. I stand corrected wrt the merchant fleet.
- carlosjobim 4y ago
  > That's why I said "at least in the USA". Yes, I have to give you credit for this. As to these senior citizens giving this advice and me giving this advice: It is a solution for many people. Speaking worldwide, so many thousands of poor are lifting themselves out of that destiny and becoming middle class through joining the military. Many do it in countries that haven't seen real war in a century. Instead of killing or being killed, their career might consist of things such as natural disaster relief. I'm disappointed - but not surprised - with the negative reaction of the HN commenters (not speaking about you) to any kind of suggestion for real life solutions. It is obvious that many people here prefer to discuss among themselves utopian fantasies of what other people - "the government" - should do some day in the future to help the poor. In the meanwhile it is for the poor to just stay poor and shut up until the geniuses bless them with a cure. The reason I mentioned the military branches, is because it is something almost all countries in the world have in common where you have your living expenses included. This is my main point, to both make and save money at the same time.
  - anonymouskimmer 4y ago
    > As to these senior citizens giving this advice and me giving this advice: It is a solution for many people. The one that first triggered me was a senior citizen telling this to a high school dropout. Without a GED it's effectively impossible for a typical high school dropout to join the military in the US. And even with a GED there are absolute limits to the number of candidates they will accept. https://www.operationmilitarykids.org/can-you-join-the-military-with-a-ged/ https://www.operationmilitarykids.org/can-you-join-the-milit... Though apparently the US Army briefly relaxed this requirement last year: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-army-no-ged-high-school-diploma-needed-to-apply/ar-AAYQqTU https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-army-no-ged-high-school... > This is my main point, to both make and save money at the same time. It's a good point.