4 ms·

Well, we could always do an experiment to see if you're right. Let's assume that you aren't able to use any existing education or connections, you start off wi

by ap22213 12y ago

Well, we could always do an experiment to see if you're right. Let's assume that you aren't able to use any existing education or connections, you start off with significant debt, and you are located in an area with high unemployment. If you are able to be back in your apartment in a month, I'll eat this computer. Edit: If we threw the idea up on kickstarter, I'm sure that there would be more than enough support to pay for your opportunity costs (assuming you're not independently wealthy). It'd be an interesting experiment.

JoeAltmaier 12y ago
Move. Get a job, any job. Don't spend any (much) money. Work to get a better job. And what's with the debt-but-no-education? How was that supposed to work? One or the other.
- DanBC 12y ago
  I'd be interested to see how quickly you could get a minimum wage job. I'm not sure there's an ethical way to set up the experiment where you apply for a bunch of minimum wage jobs to see which ones you can get; and I doubt there's a way you can spend the time to do it. But I'd be really interested to know if you could get a minimum wage job within a fortnight.
  - JoeAltmaier 12y ago
    Yeah everybody is all about 'job creation' etc. I've never had a job that existed before I had it. You find a problem to be solved, you can start solving it for money. I live in a small community. Most of the families are self-employed. Who created their job? They did. Didn't wait for some company to decide they were worth paying. So I have a problem with folks that wait for somebody to make a place for them. That's no way to run your life.
- jbooth 12y ago
  "And what's with the debt-but-no-education? How was that supposed to work? One or the other." It's not very often in life that the phrase "check your privilege" is appropriate or reasonable, but right here, right now, that's picture perfect. I mean, you can't think of a single possible way that one could get into debt besides ivy-league loans, and you're saying that you understand what poor people have to deal with?
stephenbez 12y ago
Someone did this experiment and wrote a book about it: Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream http://www.amazon.com/Scratch-Beginnings-Search-American-Dream/dp/0061714275 http://www.amazon.com/Scratch-Beginnings-Search-American-Dre...

by ap22213 12y ago

JoeAltmaier 12y ago

Move. Get a job, any job. Don't spend any (much) money. Work to get a better job. And what's with the debt-but-no-education? How was that supposed to work? One or the other.

DanBC 12y ago
I'd be interested to see how quickly you could get a minimum wage job. I'm not sure there's an ethical way to set up the experiment where you apply for a bunch of minimum wage jobs to see which ones you can get; and I doubt there's a way you can spend the time to do it. But I'd be really interested to know if you could get a minimum wage job within a fortnight.
- JoeAltmaier 12y ago
  Yeah everybody is all about 'job creation' etc. I've never had a job that existed before I had it. You find a problem to be solved, you can start solving it for money. I live in a small community. Most of the families are self-employed. Who created their job? They did. Didn't wait for some company to decide they were worth paying. So I have a problem with folks that wait for somebody to make a place for them. That's no way to run your life.
jbooth 12y ago
"And what's with the debt-but-no-education? How was that supposed to work? One or the other." It's not very often in life that the phrase "check your privilege" is appropriate or reasonable, but right here, right now, that's picture perfect. I mean, you can't think of a single possible way that one could get into debt besides ivy-league loans, and you're saying that you understand what poor people have to deal with?

stephenbez 12y ago

Someone did this experiment and wrote a book about it: Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream http://www.amazon.com/Scratch-Beginnings-Search-American-Dream/dp/0061714275 http://www.amazon.com/Scratch-Beginnings-Search-American-Dre...