My take on the economy and stuff

I was reading an article today about how "our generation" is dealing with the massive letdown which is our economy today; you've heard it all, I'm sure. Our generation will be the first not to have a higher standard of living than our parents. Some percent of college grads can't find jobs. People everywhere living in their parent's basements because they can't afford rent. Etc...

The article made a few interesting points. This not being able to afford stuff thing is helping us move away from the materialism that has engulfed our culture. Its helping us to understand that less is more, that things aren't so important after all. Maybe we won't have more things, nicer houses, more expensive cars than our parents, but maybe we'll have more appreciation for what we do have. We'll be more, instead of have more.

This article shared a number of individual stories, a few who have learned to be happy with the minimum, but mostly people who feel trapped, stuck with no options. While we can all resonate with that feeling, some of the individual stories left me cold. A high achiever all through high school who took too-advanced college courses right off, found himself in over his head, chickened out and changed his major to underwater basket weaving or some equally useless thing. Then dropped out and has been working at this and that for the past 5-10 odd years, now wants to get back into corporate america to have a paycheck. ??? When does this story start to have a point for the rest of us? Another story; equally high achiever, works hard throughout college and graduates with a high GPA. Doesn't seem to realize until after graduation that english majors don't have a whole lot of jobs open to them. Thus, goes to grad school, for, get this, environmental studies! Is shocked she is having trouble finding a job.

The thing is, I can sort of connect with *part* of that last one. I went to school for landscaping, which has limited salary opportunities unless you start your own business. Which I didn't really realize in the beginning. However, when I found myself working side-by-side with people doing the same job without any education whatsoever, I re-thought my strategy. And then went to school for something useful. Not environmental studies.

And I probably shouldn't whine about the economy myself; I am employed, and expect to be able to continue that status, limited only by geography. And I'm willing to move. (As a side note, it's been raining here so much its like I accidentally moved to the pacific northwest without realizing it, though there are no mountains and Lake Eerie is a sad substitute for the ocean. I make do, but still...) However, I've got a whole lot of debt, and even health care isn't a guarantee. We'll have to see how things shake down over the next 10 years or so.

I got a button at the Imperial War Museum in London, featuring Churchill's slogan during WWII; "keep calm and carry on." I thought it was a good motto for residency. Its also a good motto for the times in which we live.

Looking back over this, I'm not sure what point I'm trying to make. That's what I get for blogging at 1:00 AM. Its probably in there somewhere.