Generation Limbo

You articulated much better than me some of the initial annoyances I think I had. One was remembering that story from last year. Another was, yes, the tragedy of a 23-year-old Ivy Leaguer having to find their way a little bit.

 

Cry me a river. Neither can I.

 

Since you came away with a completely different sense than others who read it, I think it is fair to ask why you saw it that way.

And like LTL, I don't necessarily see it as the worst thing in the world that people can't get the job they want right out of school. Of my friends, who are mostly in the 24-26 year old range, only a few are doing the kinds of jobs they wanted to do out of school, but those who aren't are still doing pretty well for themselves and in more than a few cases learning skills that will allow them to be quite flexible in the future.

 

Only three of the six people quoted went to Ivy League schools.

Poor Harvard grad Amy Klein had to join a punk-rock band THAT WAS NAMED BY ROLLING STONE AS ONE OF THE 10 BEST NEW BANDS OF 2010.

 

When did we start conflating a traditional liberal arts education with trade school?

 

Yeah, the musician jumped out at me too -- if she had the talent to chase a music career all over the country, that's probably where her ambitions were in the first place anyway.

 

You didn't ask why I saw it that way. You told me why I did.

 

A Harvard degree and a successful musician. If only she had had a better plan...

 

I don't think it should be trade school.

I have said here a million times. Map out a well-rounded education that's also practical. Nothing wrong with double majoring in philosophy and pre-med. Or economics and engineering. Or English Literature and chemistry.

 

So unless you give yourself the ability to go into a science/math-related field, you're not being practical?

 

Um, those were examples. It wasn't meant to be an exhaustive list.

But you knew that.

 

DW is trying to dog on people who haven't followed his plan.