"Downward mobility haunts US education" - BBC

[Jackal]

I found this article interesting. It sums up a lot of my pessimistic feelings about the US and its lack of social mobility.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20154358

[Tsar]

...pessimistic feelings about the US and its lack of social mobility.

I have known since I was 19 that the US is one of countries with the least social mobility. Everything that people and schools say about working hard in a career and being successful is just brainwashing and propaganda. Very few will ever advance upward, many will advance down.

The tax system doesn't encourage upward mobility. The Government impedes upward social mobility. Multinational corporations destroy small business and so does the government with over-licensing, over-taxation, and over-regulation for small businesses.

Students are forced to become debt servitors when they receive a college education. The education system in America has become another industry to profiteer off people. In other countries the debtor has many rights and protections. In America the creditors are given as much power as the government. Look at the student loan industry.

It has been proven that small businesses are the lifeblood of an economy. Compare how people were serfs working for the feudal lords then the bourgeois beside aristocrats. There was self-employment and small businesses instead of working for a feudal lord. America use to have small businesses but it destroyed them. Look at China where small business is thriving. The developing world and countries without multinational corporations everywhere have more opportunity. The US lacks social mobility because it only supports the wealthiest and the largest corporations.

[abcdavid01]

It absolutely is an empire ending zeitgeist. It's not about money. If parents thought college was a worthy investment for kids, they'd work their ass off and save money for it like they've always done. More and more people now are waking up and realizing the ROI is way too low. Both financially because of the economy, which shows no signs of recovery, and the social atmosphere. More women are graduating than men now, so it's not as if they're going to college to find husbands. I can't repeat what my dad did and meet a girl Freshman year, marry by Graduation. Men used to be willing to work long and hard hours in finance, science, construction, fighting wars, because they had something to protect. It's like, if I'm gonna work all day and take shit from the boss man, the least you can do is make me a goddamn sandwich. But no, women ain't like that anymore. The reward is gone, so people go on strike and the system collapses.

Edit: I can hear my parents fighting upstairs as I type this. My dad's a lawyer working long hours and bringing in all the dough. For the past three years he's been the whole source of income for our family. He shouldn't have to put up with my mom's crap drama. I just wanna shake him and tell him to cash in and move to the Phillipines, I swear to God.

[skateboardstephen]

It absolutely is an empire ending zeitgeist. It's not about money. If parents thought college was a worthy investment for kids, they'd work their a** off and save money for it like they've always done. More and more people now are waking up and realizing the ROI is way too low. Both financially because of the economy, which shows no signs of recovery, and the social atmosphere. More women are graduating than men now, so it's not as if they're going to college to find husbands. I can't repeat what my dad did and meet a girl Freshman year, marry by Graduation. Men used to be willing to work long and hard hours in finance, science, construction, fighting wars, because they had something to protect. It's like, if I'm gonna work all day and take shit from the boss man, the least you can do is make me a goddamn sandwich. But no, women ain't like that anymore. The reward is gone, so people go on strike and the system collapses.

I had lost all modivation to be successful in the U.S., for what?So you can have it all taken in the family court system.I don't think so.(sorry for my now rusty English)

[Introvert]

One thing is for sure, if this does not change soon, we will see Americans leaving for "greener grass" internationally.

[manly5000]

One of the most ridiculous concepts I've seen in recent times is how much crap people get if they want to teach English abroad and don't have at least a 4-year degree. If you go to the eslcafe forums, the party line is "So let me get this straight... you want to teach but don't value getting a good education?!?!"

It's stupid. Absolutely stupid considering the current situation with college in the USA. When you teach English, you teach a specific SKILL. A vaulable skill that allows people to interact with a whole new chunk of the world. To get any given four year degree is to waste tens of thousands of dollars and years of time taking a bunch of fluff courses that don't do a damn thing for your career of choice. Then being in 10's of thousands in debt and unable to take an ESL job abroad anyway because there is no way in hell you can survive and make your loan payments on the starting pay you get with your first gig.

Any time someone talks about teaching abroad without a degree they get torn apart by all the ESL snobs. Talking about how you will have no options and no advancement potential, and lots of trouble finding a job.

Funny... I have yet to read a single report of someone going to ANY non-western country, striking out in the job search, and having to tuck tail and come home after blowing their savings, because they didn't have a four year degree.

College has become the biggest scam ever and it's a shame that it keeps getting worse.

[Ghost]

...

[abcdavid01]

Downward mobility is the "new normal." Or is it the "new new normal" now?

And the worst part made be that Americans keep accepting it. Why? Because they don't want to lose their homes, jobs, etc. This partly explains why Americans are accepting of de facto slavery: they think they have too much to lose. Every month, every year, they have less and less, but they worry about trying to break free because they think they have too much to lose.

But it's like Carlin said: "It's called the American Dream...because you have to be asleep to believe it."

That means it's good to be a young person with nothing to lose. I'm glad I found this site early.

[mguy]

My french friend who is studying in US said it best,

"In US, the dumb kids go to college, and the smart kids don't"

In a way.. he is absolutely right. I chuckled.

[lone_yakuza]

.

[manly5000]

Wrong. If you want to teach English abroad, an American university degree is usually required.

Not accurate. A degree is only "required" for teaching in SE Asia due to VISA requirements, but a lot of people work illegally over there. In Latin America no country requires a degree outright for a VISA, and I haven't heard a single instance of anyone who was unable to find work due to not having the 4-year.

That being said, the better and higher-paying gigs want a degree, but as with anything, knowing the right people can trump any "requirement", soft or hard.