It has been interesting to watch this whole occupy Wallstreet movement take shape. The protestors have some valid points about corporate greed and the influence on government policies. But I have been floored by many of the interviews with protestors at some of their “demands” and complaints. One of the biggest themes I have heard repeated have come from unemployed college graduates who have mountains of debt from their schooling and no job prospects. My question to them is what did they go to school for? I know the job market is tough but there are many sectors hiring and struggling to find people who have the right backgrounds. If I am going to spend ungodly amounts of money to go to college, especially an Ivy League or private school that costs way more than a community college or state school, I am going to be damn sure I go into a field that is going to give me a good chance at a job and career when I get it out. You need to look at the types of salaries that are in your chosen profession and find a college or program that makes sense from a cost perspective. If I want to be an assistant night manager at a McDonalds that I know pays $12/hr, it probably doesn’t make sense to go to U of M and spend $100,000 to get a four year degree in hamburger management when you can probably get the same job with a much cheaper educational alternative such as community college. If you plan on becoming a brain surgeon who is going to pull in 400K a year, that $100,000 investment in your bachelors degree probably makes a lot of sense. I think this situation is illustrative of how this country has ended up where we are. If I am making minimum wage and a bank tells me I qualify for $300,000 house does not mean I should buy that house. It might be a little tough to continue to afford that house when other expenses come up like food. Just because you CAN buy something, doesn’t mean you SHOULD buy it. You see people do it with cars, electronics, educational expenses. Why is there no consideration of long term consequences of our actions anymore? Paid too much for a useless degree? Don’t get out there and do whatever you can to work your way up out of the mess you created yourself with your decisions, no, instead go camp out in a park in NY city and demand that the government forgive all student loans. We have free will and we need to be responsible for our own lives. That is what has made this country great. If you don’t like the way things are run, consider carefully who you put in office and the companies you choose to support. More importantly, quit whining and get back to moving forward and contributing something to society.
Justin Himebaugh leads the accounting department at HRU, (or The Necessary Evil Group as he calls it). A Graduate of the Haworth school of business at Western Michigan University, Justin has specialized in systems implementations and streamlining the accounting function for the companies he has worked with. Besides having a well rounded skill set when it comes to accounting he has an unblockable fade away jump shot and mad skills in the low post on the basketball court. You can follow him on Twitter, @necssryevil
Right on, man! That is the necessary truth that needs to spoke! How spoiled Americans have become! Expecting. What about accountability? It's so unsettling to me that this is how America is being portrayed to the world. Shut up you whining crybabies! Just stop it already! You are embarrassing yourselves and you look ridiculous. Grow up and quit pointing the finger. I have no sympathy for those who made poor choices and expect someone else to make provisions for them. I couldn't agree with you more, Justin. It's time to move forward.
Posted by: Bratty Lori | 11/29/2011 at 03:13 PM