I agree with John in alot of senses, because here's the thing--in order to circumvent being just another working shlub, you've gotta go and get a college degree, but that takes years to do, and years of debts. By the time you get out, you're 10, 20, 30....maybe 100 grand in debt (if not more). In alot of ways, I don't think that helps the economy, because before you've earned a cent and can prove that you can make your way, you're already in debt. I saw this happen when the computer programming thing came around in 1999-2003 (largely the boom of the "illusion" of more jobs being created). More jobs were being created, yes, but not to fulfill this growth illusion that they promised. I knew a few people that went to school and took courses and got good marks.....but couldn't find work! They still had to fight for personal enterprise (which school doesn't promote), AND they were good, but maybe didn't have the right connections.
Therefore, I still conclude that being a fast talking, quick thinking carney goes much further in the end, and that it's "who you know and who you blow". Look at Bush--you think THAT guy needed to be educated to gain control of the country, just to fuck it up?
Here's the problem with the education illusion--I compare this alot to the fears about whether or not there will be a retirement fund or pension for the vast majority of people, when most of the boomers (many of whom are already of retirement age) have already aged. As we know, it costs alot of money for old age care, preparing wills and funerals and stuff like that. In other words, the whole "get an education" thing is largely, I find, a ruse, because why on Earth would the big politicos and big suits want you to get educated and think you're above flipping burgers?
This is already happening in Alberta, where many service jobs cannot be filled. Many late night places can't find people to work, because they're going to the oil fields or anywhere else (construction boom) that pays more. In that sense, the government and the economy is finding out what happens when you educate people, or give them the option of working in the oil fields to get rich quickly--no one wants to do the "shitty" jobs anymore, and the pay is reflected accordingly.
I'm even seeing it here, where many service jobs have signs "now hiring!". Back in 1995 when I was a teenage and looking for a first job and willing to put in alot of sweat and effort, those jobs weren't available. I had to apply at tons to even find any place that was hiring, because the positions were already filled. Forget the places in the paper; they had tons of people applying there.
In my estimation, the big companies missed the service industry boom (in which there was time for uneducated masses to have to work simple jobs), and now everyone's educated, but no one wants to do the service jobs anymore! And can you blame them? They don't get paid shit and handle tons of stress from people that are irate that some uneducated "peon" just screwed up their Big Mac order.
THAT is what I call a rhetorical blunder.
Edit: and also, if you notice, you cannot claim tuition on bankrupcies (something that has gone unnoticed). Wonder how that happened? It's because that growth illusion probably realized that it didn't want to fund your kids' college fund, just for them to find out that maybe they didn't have the enterprising or managerial skills to convey whatever talents that they had....
....to actual $$$.
The gov't has known about this growth illusion for a long time now. There's no proof that you'll transcend your debts to be schooled in college, there's no guarantee that straight A's will get you hired if you don't have the overall mojo and panache that people are looking for in those industries or fields. If you think even a graduation degree from grade 12 means a hill of beans as opposed to your ability to relate to people on a one on one basis, i've got some prime real estate in Florida that's for sale.
John has it the right way--do it with what you can afford man, I totally back you on that. There's no guarantees of any careers or financial stability, especially in this economy. Do what you can do, be what you can be and aspire to more, but don't live out of your range....that's what's created this whole 700 billion dollar bailout mess in the first place.