Baby J is lucky to be born into a family that can provide these things for her. But what about all those other babies who are not quite as fortunate, who have families that can't afford to save during these tough times? What are they supposed to do?
My college education was very expensive and largely unimportant compared to the on-the-job training that has made me good at what I do now. The graduate degree which I am required to pursue costs more still and, though I have not completed the program yet, I can tell you it will not be worth the debt we're amassing. It's not worth the $150 textbooks. It's not worth the time and energy.
So why is it all prerequisite to finding/keeping a decent job?
I'm pretty sure the answer to this complex issue can be summed up like this: higher education is a racket. Universities suck up money and transform it into hot air. Students get a slip of paper and a lot of debt instead of real-world experience that would really help them in their careers. Meanwhile, kids who can't afford the sanctimonious blessing the universities enter the workforce with limited options. Kids from working class families become part of the working class. Kids from middle class families enter the middle class. Kids from affluent families end up being affluent.
Universities do little but enforce the strict stratification of our society.
I'd like to feel good about saving up for my daughter's college education but, ultimately, it's just really depressing. It feels to me that we're saving today to buy Baby J a spot in the middle class tomorrow. It just doesn't seem right. It feels out of synch with the way things should be.
Listening To: Birth of the Cool by Miles Davis
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