A Great, Impassioned Response to Those Old Timers Who Think The Student Loan Debt Crisis is Nothing & Students are "Lazy" or "Entitled"

Just read this comment on this story. It has to be shared since it's classic & a total smack down. You know how I love those.

Author: LadiiE36

I am so SICK and TIRED of having the Baby Boomers and the more elderly generations tell my peers and me that we are "spoiled" and "entitled." From the day I was born, my parents worked their butts off to provide for me and to foster an environment that encouraged education. And it is MY understanding that THAT is what GOOD parents do. My parents went to college, my grandparents went to college, my whole family went to college, so I am NOT going to apologize to ANYONE for wanting to have that same opportunity. I read through all the comments from individuals stating that ALL I have to do is "work while I'm in school".....that just goes to show you how out of touch most of those individuals are. This is 2012 not 1977. Tuition has SKYROCKETED and job opportunities have PLUMMETED, making it almost impossible for students to be able to do both. I might also remind the previous generation that when you were paying for school, tuition looked something like $5,000. That is NOT the case anymore. It is not possible for most students to pay their $30,000 tuitions by working minimum wage jobs, part-time.

And I am also sick and tired of ignorant people telling us how "easy" it is to "just find a job." If that were the case, don't you think we'd be doing that? I can personally tell you that even while I'm in school, I scour ads and job sites on a daily basis for available jobs that will help me pay off my loans when I graduate. And you know what a common requirement is for those jobs?? A COLLEGE OR ADVANCED DEGREE. So don't tell me that degrees aren't necessary anymore. CEO's and managers DO want EDUCATED employees, so it is just plain stupid and uninformed of people to spout off about a degree being unnecessary. And I find it INFURIATING to read comments telling my peers and I that it’s our fault that we “waste” money on “useless” degrees in areas other than the hard sciences, math or engineering. You obviously make those assertions based on the premise that ALL students are good in those areas, or have any interest in those areas, whatsoever. Please stop making wild and unfounded statements like that when the previous generations had the privilege of getting jobs and degrees in all areas including art, business, finance, law, teaching, journalism, biology, English, religion, sociology, psychology, medicine, engineering, etc....YOU are the ones who fostered this idea that students can do anything they want....and that's exactly what you all did, you got to enjoy jobs in multiple areas. Now my generation wants the opportunity to do the same and you have the AUDACITY to call us spoiled and entitled?! That is UNACCEPTABLE. The truth is, the previous generations feel entitled. You all believe you put in work to pay off your $3,000 loans some 30 odd years ago, and think that somehow now entitles you to sit around and use up all the available resources made available to you by MY generation. So, YOU'RE WELCOME.

And you want to talk about entitled? How about you acknowledge that this failing economy is NOT just the result of a greedy government, but banks and businesses run by greedy older individuals who abused the advantages of a once flourishing economic system. Now these same banks and companies want bail-outs because THEY also don't want to pay back the money they owe. And how about the individuals currently collecting social security? I tell you what, I won't ask you for any help paying back my loans, if you ALL agree that my peers and I no longer have to chip in for your social security checks. Sound fair? Especially considering that by the time we retire, YOU all will have dried up the entire fund leaving NOTHING for us. MY generation is the FIRST generation in the HISTORY of this country to be left WORSE OFF than the previous generation, and you want to blame that on US. That's crap, and I know you all know that. But instead of wanting to accept the responsibility for the failed decision making of all the previous generations, you call us names and tell us we expect too much. Why shouldn't we? You all have homes, and cars, and families, and jobs, and educations, but now that we want the same things, you tell us that our expectations are unrealistic. You've left us all with nothing and now we are supposed to quash all our hopes and dreams, or “put them on hold” and settle for mindless jobs as garbage men and ditch diggers, oh please! I refuse to apologize for putting in hard work and wanting MORE for myself. It is the prior generations who should be apologizing to US for being greedy and making horrible decisions that are now affecting my generation.

So I say again, I am NOT going to apologize for taking out loans to provide myself with the necessary education to make MY life better. And I am NOT going to apologize if the government is trying to find a way to help my peers and I to get out from under this enormous financial clusterf*ck left to us by our parents, grandparents, etc…quite honestly, it is the LEAST you all can do.

Nope, I didn't write this one. I also have a TON more entries to write (that one on Comic Con & my latest extra gig for 2) but that will have to wait until my schedule is calm enough. These posts don't happen in 3 seconds; they require actual time & (gasp!) WORK!