I, too, have been a FT adjunct professor and only made $9k a semester, putting me at around $18k for the year. Insane. We do not value children or education but we sure as heck make us pay for it.
I have more grad school debt than I want to admit out loud. At 55 years old, I will be paying it off the rest of my life. Even $50k forgiveness wouldn't matter. That was simply the amount of interest accumulated during 7 years of doctoral work. I've been grateful for the reprieve during the pandemic. And when payments restart? Well, you can't get blood from a stone. There really is nothing the government can take. Still, it's frustrating and insane.
And yes, the system IS rigged.
Our current inflation has nothing to do with people quitting their jobs (as the corporate owned news outlets keep reporting). It has everythign to do with corporate greed, paying CEOs record high nauseating salaries, and shareholder profits. But that's not reported b/c the news is owned by corporations.
People want to work and they want to be valued. It's not that complicated. Just stop ripping us off.
Exactly, Jan. It does come down to a simple scenario of good work opportunities and showing workers they are valued. But part of that value is shown thru good wages and that is scarce for so many except the “Golden Parachute-ed CEOs.
Living in a hyper capitalistic society is like being a rat on a treadmill !
Henry David Thoureau (I can't spell his name) said that most Americans are living lives of "quiet desperation." I think this misery is induced by the gnawing fear, in the pit of one's stomach, of going broke, of being homeless, of not being able to get meds for your sick children.
You noted that the economic statistics promulgated by the govt. claim we have never been doing better. Govt. stats are an elaborate lie. EG.: The number of unemployed are deftly undercounted because they don't count a) people who gave up and are no longer lookng for work, b) those who are underemployhed, c) those who have part time but require full time work and d) those who have been downsized and whose manufacturing jobs have been replaced by service jobs that pay a fraction of the wages of the manufacturing job.
We are told that this is the price of freedom and that we are freer than any other citizenry. But we are not nearly as free as we imagine. In the British House of Commons, the prime minister is routinely heckled and asked sharp questions. By contrast, when the Prez gives the state of the union address, the crowd is mute and meek as castrated kittens. In 2004, one could not go to a bush campaign rally unless one signed a statement pledging loyalty to bush and people were not allowed to raise signs, criticizing Bush, within a ten mile radius of his rally.
I, too, have been a FT adjunct professor and only made $9k a semester, putting me at around $18k for the year. Insane. We do not value children or education but we sure as heck make us pay for it.
I have more grad school debt than I want to admit out loud. At 55 years old, I will be paying it off the rest of my life. Even $50k forgiveness wouldn't matter. That was simply the amount of interest accumulated during 7 years of doctoral work. I've been grateful for the reprieve during the pandemic. And when payments restart? Well, you can't get blood from a stone. There really is nothing the government can take. Still, it's frustrating and insane.
And yes, the system IS rigged.
Our current inflation has nothing to do with people quitting their jobs (as the corporate owned news outlets keep reporting). It has everythign to do with corporate greed, paying CEOs record high nauseating salaries, and shareholder profits. But that's not reported b/c the news is owned by corporations.
People want to work and they want to be valued. It's not that complicated. Just stop ripping us off.
Exactly, Jan. It does come down to a simple scenario of good work opportunities and showing workers they are valued. But part of that value is shown thru good wages and that is scarce for so many except the “Golden Parachute-ed CEOs.
Living in a hyper capitalistic society is like being a rat on a treadmill !
Henry David Thoureau (I can't spell his name) said that most Americans are living lives of "quiet desperation." I think this misery is induced by the gnawing fear, in the pit of one's stomach, of going broke, of being homeless, of not being able to get meds for your sick children.
You noted that the economic statistics promulgated by the govt. claim we have never been doing better. Govt. stats are an elaborate lie. EG.: The number of unemployed are deftly undercounted because they don't count a) people who gave up and are no longer lookng for work, b) those who are underemployhed, c) those who have part time but require full time work and d) those who have been downsized and whose manufacturing jobs have been replaced by service jobs that pay a fraction of the wages of the manufacturing job.
We are told that this is the price of freedom and that we are freer than any other citizenry. But we are not nearly as free as we imagine. In the British House of Commons, the prime minister is routinely heckled and asked sharp questions. By contrast, when the Prez gives the state of the union address, the crowd is mute and meek as castrated kittens. In 2004, one could not go to a bush campaign rally unless one signed a statement pledging loyalty to bush and people were not allowed to raise signs, criticizing Bush, within a ten mile radius of his rally.