4 ms·

The truth is these kids aren't really adults, and no one along the way is incentivized to stop them and say "hey, you may be making a really terrible decision h

by d23 11y ago

The truth is these kids aren't really adults, and no one along the way is incentivized to stop them and say "hey, you may be making a really terrible decision here." Instead, everyone encourages them. English major? Great! No major? Even better! You have time to decide! $100k in debt? A degree is worth it! Thankfully I had programming skills to fall back on, but when you're 18 years old and you're surrounded by people giving you awful advice that could ruin your life, you may not be able to recognize it.

MCRed 11y ago
Absolutely true. But everyone still is responsible for their actions... even if they got bad advice. That to me is the definition of being an adult.
restalis 11y ago
"when you're 18 years old and you're surrounded by people giving you awful advice that could ruin your life, you may not be able to recognize it" I remember being 18 and I was terrified of loans, or of any kind of arrangements that could limit the options of my future! Advices, even ones that come from well-intended people, weren't worth much for me if they weren't supported by detailed plans in which I would end up OK. Receiving such insurance plans proved to be next to impossible, because and as you may presume, those who seriously suggest you mortgaging your life aren't the most forward-looking people! ...so no, I don't sympathize with that naive kid not thinking straight about his own future. I actually feel that this kind of practice represents one of our time's laws of natural selection.
Lawtonfogle 11y ago
The point of being an adult is to be able to handle such influences. We treat them this way in loans, in other financial matters, in other contractual matters, and even in other areas (such as those relating to sex, where 'power difference' no longer applies once someone turns 18). About the only area where we do is with drinking age (in the US) and I find that to be quite unfair. I do think our concept of adulthood is flawed and has major issues, but society will never tolerate fixing it because it would restrict rights based on abilities and many of those who are currently taken advantage of will not willingly surrender the rights that allow them to be taken advantage of.

by d23 11y ago

MCRed 11y ago

Absolutely true. But everyone still is responsible for their actions... even if they got bad advice. That to me is the definition of being an adult.

restalis 11y ago

"when you're 18 years old and you're surrounded by people giving you awful advice that could ruin your life, you may not be able to recognize it" I remember being 18 and I was terrified of loans, or of any kind of arrangements that could limit the options of my future! Advices, even ones that come from well-intended people, weren't worth much for me if they weren't supported by detailed plans in which I would end up OK. Receiving such insurance plans proved to be next to impossible, because and as you may presume, those who seriously suggest you mortgaging your life aren't the most forward-looking people! ...so no, I don't sympathize with that naive kid not thinking straight about his own future. I actually feel that this kind of practice represents one of our time's laws of natural selection.

Lawtonfogle 11y ago

The point of being an adult is to be able to handle such influences. We treat them this way in loans, in other financial matters, in other contractual matters, and even in other areas (such as those relating to sex, where 'power difference' no longer applies once someone turns 18). About the only area where we do is with drinking age (in the US) and I find that to be quite unfair. I do think our concept of adulthood is flawed and has major issues, but society will never tolerate fixing it because it would restrict rights based on abilities and many of those who are currently taken advantage of will not willingly surrender the rights that allow them to be taken advantage of.