My generation might be broken. (UC protests)

[a completely inoffensive name]

Today is March 1st. For the University of California system this day has been long expected as the "Day of Action". Student across all the campuses are protesting against high tuition and demand for greater access to public education.
http://www.dailycal.org/2012/02/29/s...n-in-protests/


My university has two intersections that are choke points for entering. All roads flow through them, the students since 4am have blocked off both entrances at the two intersections effectively shutting down the university for the day. My labs and discussion sections got canceled for today and now I am without an education on March 1st because students are protesting for more education.

[Centurion1]

Our generation is entitled and spoiled. Even more worrisome is this generations belief that everyone 'deserves' a college education.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Our generation is entitled and spoiled. Even more worrisome is this generations belief that everyone 'deserves' a college education.

This is where I have no idea what side of the spectrum I am on. My anecdotal evidence tells me that most of our generation is spoiled, but a good 30-40% is not. But the idea that everyone is not entitled to a college education leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[Vladimir]

Is it broken or just making more noise?

Everybody wants more than the people before them had and I don't think this is nearly as bad as the '60s was.

[Centurion1]

This is where I have no idea what side of the spectrum I am on. My anecdotal evidence tells me that most of our generation is spoiled, but a good 30-40% is not. But the idea that everyone is not entitled to a college education leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Says the man in college

Vocational training certainly has merit and one can make solid money doing it. However any job in America worth something requires education beyond high school, hell vocational training costs money too. There has been a fundemental shift in the economy in the last generation and it now requries more education for more specialized tasks. Jobs that didn't require a college degree now do.

While a four year degree may not be absolutely neccessary and assc. or vocational training is and those cost.

Now I disagree with the plan of action undertaken by the UC students but they do strike a point. Starting off an entire generation in a hole to get an entry level job probably isn't the best way to build an economy.

Sad fact of the matter is that some people simply are not smart enough. However, they go through life being told they can be whatever they want when maybe they would just be better off going into blue collar work or manual labor.

I got into college and my parents did not pay to send me here. Regardless of ROTC the financial burden would have been very light. And I worked hard to get there.

That being said college educations are heinously overpriced and this is a serious issue.

[Strike For The South]

Sad fact of the matter is that some people simply are not smart enough. However, they go through life being told they can be whatever they want when maybe they would just be better off going into blue collar work or manual labor.

I got into college and my parents did not pay to send me here. Regardless of ROTC the financial burden would have been very light. And I worked hard to get there.

That being said college educations are heinously overpriced and this is a serious issue.

Many blue collar jobs require an extended period of time in schooling these days.

The last point is something I agree with

[Centurion1]

Many blue collar jobs require an extended period of time in schooling these days.

The last point is something I agree with

I was trying to find a way to word that better to be completely honest. I am in no way trying to bash blue collar jobs. I often lament with my mother (a teacher) when students parents will try to force them into higher level courses and make them try to be competitive in the college game when they really simply cant handle it. These kids would often be better performing in classes that fit them and then going into a career that fits what their skills are. My uncle is a plumber and the man makes well over 100k a year. My cousin is a mechanic and he does well. etc., etc.

Some people are more suited for different things and this country needs to stop pushing everyone MUST have a college education to even lead a comfortable life. Christ the dude who made my omelet today was telling me about a class he took when he was in college. Overkill much?

[Rhyfelwyr]

I think the push for more available higher education as an end in and of itself has led to a pretty huge disconnect between the education system and the economy.

If you will forgive the archaic terminology, it feels almost like the solution to the inequality of the past few generations has been to try to make everybody middle-class. Give working-class kids education so they can further themselves and step up the social ladder. Right?

Well... wrong. The economy just isn't ready for a 100% white-collar work force. So really by sending so many people to college and university, all we've done is create a generation with high qualifications and matching expectations... but we've not developed the economy to match.

I have a four year univesity degree with First Class Honours and about 8 months after graduating I still work for minimum wage. In my parents generation, even if you had a 2:1, that was unheard of.

I completely agree with the thread title that this generation is broken, at least when it comes to their prospects in the workplace. Few graduates will meet their career expectations, and if you aren't a graduate, then its a hell of a job getting work where they will actually give you a solid, full-time contract that gives you the financial stablility you need in life. And that's if you are lucky enough to get a job. And even if you do, you can expect to do months of work at a wage level that is in fact illegal (people only get jobseekers allowance for doing work placements of several weeks... the company then recycles onto the next person).

The whole thing just sucks right now. It's just the case of a corrupt political system letting big business run riot. We should wall up the borders, cripple multinational corporations and tip the balance of power back in favour of the workers over the employers.

People can laugh and say that what I am saying is reactionary and unrealistic and would cripple growth etc. But the growth you've been seeing over the past few decades is going to come with a massive, massive social cost. Economic growth can only bring financial stability when people know that the companies are tied to them... whether that is through their skills, trade restrictions, or an interdependent economy. When companies can just up stakes and move everything to Kazakhstan, that's really no good for anybody, they just leave a trail of destruction behind them. If things continue then we are going to reap the whirlwind in the next couple of generations.

[Strike For The South]

Our generation is entitled and spoiled. Even more worrisome is this generations belief that everyone 'deserves' a college education.

Says the man in college

Vocational training certainly has merit and one can make solid money doing it. However any job in America worth something requires education beyond high school, hell vocational training costs money too. There has been a fundemental shift in the economy in the last generation and it now requries more education for more specialized tasks. Jobs that didn't require a college degree now do.

While a four year degree may not be absolutely neccessary and assc. or vocational training is and those cost.

Now I disagree with the plan of action undertaken by the UC students but they do strike a point. Starting off an entire generation in a hole to get an entry level job probably isn't the best way to build an economy.

[gaelic cowboy]

Our generation is entitled and spoiled.

Does every generation not think this

[Tellos Athenaios]

Does every generation not think this

No it's usually the parents who think that nonsense about their children.

[Veho Nex]

Today is March 1st. For the University of California system this day has been long expected as the "Day of Action". Student across all the campuses are protesting against high tuition and demand for greater access to public education.
http://www.dailycal.org/2012/02/29/s...n-in-protests/


My university has two intersections that are choke points for entering. All roads flow through them, the students since 4am have blocked off both entrances at the two intersections effectively shutting down the university for the day. My labs and discussion sections got canceled for today and now I am without an education on March 1st because students are protesting for more education.

These fools did the same thing at my school. I can't afford to miss class, I'm barely keeping up as it is. My teachers just see it as an opportunity to email the class saying that they still expect everything done by monday.

[a completely inoffensive name]

I don't even......what.....?

[Strike For The South]

I hate Califronia

[Crazed Rabbit]

So they now are against the two most useful degrees?

I truly wonder what these kids expect from college.

CR

[Strike For The South]

Consequence free sex

[Tellos Athenaios]

I don't even......what.....?

Someone thinks University is too much about going-through-the-motions and churning out degrees as exemplified by Engineering 2 ?

[Centurion1]

I don't even......what.....?

Your school is ******* stupid as **** bro.

You know the number one destination of graduates of my school?
Finance

Your school?
Prison and communes.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Your school is ******* stupid as **** bro.You know the number one destination of graduates of my school? FinanceYour school?Prison and communes.

Apparently other universities haven't been teaching students how not to make false generalizations either.

[Centurion1]

Apparently other universities haven't been teaching students how not to make false generalizations either.

;)

touche.

[CountArach]

I don't even......what.....?

I'm pretty sure Marx didn't say that.

[Vladimir]

I'm pretty sure Marx didn't say that.

At least not in 2001. I think someone is having a little fun with this.

I like college humor.