Reply #6: No degree here

[davidthegnome]

My parents often tell me it's because of my lack of a degree that I can't find a decent job. Perhaps they're right. Yet nonetheless I've often pointed out various individuals with masters degrees earning minimum wage or slightly better with a shitty (if any) benefits package. Some of them have little ambition - but others did the best they could and could not find anything resembling a fair wage or financial security.

It's called the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it. I've weighed my options, which are, given my health, location, and available resources somewhat limited. I could get the student loans I'd need - possibly - and spend years paying them back - possibly - if I could find a job that would pay something resembling an actual living wage. Unlikely.

So I decided to educate myself and go into business for myself. So far, that's not going so well, but maybe things will improve. I keep applying for various minimum wage jobs but there's already so many applicants that someone as old as me (26) just doesn't seem the best choice. I'd probably want benefits or maybe a quarter or two more than minimum wage. Well, not really, but I imagine that is often the reasoning. That, or, if I'm 26 and applying for a job washing dishes, many assume that there's something wrong with me. Come to think of it, maybe there is.