3 ms·
We've been telling people for years that a STEM degree is a fast track to a six figure income. And that's been mostly true. But now people are going to find out
by themagician 3y ago
We've been telling people for years that a STEM degree is a fast track to a six figure income. And that's been mostly true. But now people are going to find out that a STEM degree is going to place them firmly in the real middle class, not the, "I make $240k a year and live in the Bay Area I'm middle class just like you" middle class.
Possible we might see some real class solidarity if those being displaced can get over themselves.
- lotsofpulp 3y agoAn STEM degree was a fast track to a desk job that might have allowed for “middle class” living, whatever that means. But electrician/plumber/nursing/other physically demanding jobs have always been the other, and more resilient, option. But they’re not desk jobs.
- bee_rider 3y agoI should have not used the term middle-class because it invites definition based arguments. I meant the Marxist petit-bourgeoisie, which is one of the (multiple, sometimes incompatible) definitions of the middle class. If by middle class you just mean people who have around median income or so, I’d quibble about whether that is any more “real,” but who cares? It is just a definition. Anyway, I think people generally expect something like that petit-bourgeoisie status from their engineering degrees. It is the expectation that our skills will be in demand enough that we can tell management to get bent if they ask us to do something unethical or dangerous; this is a dramatically different position in the labor market, but it requires rare and in demand skills.