Doob? why are you going to College? To get a better job right? What is a better job? one that is more interesting? or one that pays more, has better benefits, perks, insurance, hot ass secretary etc etc etc?
Just the fact that your going to college to get a degree says right there that you are also on the lookout for a better paying job so that you can provide your family with a better living, right?
Your as capitalistic as you are socialist, in fact I would take a guess to say that your really not much different from the very same people you are arguing with.
I've worked in the restaurant industry most of my life. It's not horrible money (working full time at the right place I can pull in $30k a year), but it's very unsatisfying work, and a bit degrading too. Not to mention there is no job security (4 out of 5 establishments I've worked at in my lifetime went out of business), no benefits, no time off if my kids are sick and have to stay home from school, etc. I am also self-employed as a PC repair tech, so again, no benefits there although I can choose my own hours which is pretty cool.
There are several reasons I decided to go to college. One being that I'd always planned to go, but life got in the way for bit. Another reason is the lack of benefits afforded to me in my current positions. There are very few food service employers who offer benefits for their workers, and yes, I'd like a retirement plan and health insurance. A bigger paycheck isn't really necessary. In fact, at this point it would actually be detrimental due to the fact that I'd lose my eligibility for the grants that are paying my tuition. Another reason is that I want to set an example for my kids and instill in them a desire to learn and pursue a higher education.
I have no desire to sling entrees for the rest of my life. It may be a fine profession for someone with less academic prowess - but I'd like something a bit more challenging and more rewarding than serving appetizers and happy hour drinks to a bunch of government workers and off-duty marines.
I don't measure my success/failure in terms of how much money I make. I'm quite accustomed to living a simple life, and I don't particularly care for material things (I can fit all my worldly possessions in the hatch of a Ford Aspire). If I'm doing work that I can be proud of and doesn't make me want to go to sleep and never wake up, I'd consider that a huge success. Likewise, if I'm setting a good example for my kids and raising them to be productive and intelligent people, then I'm successful.
Making enough money to put a flat screen 40" television in every room of my house isn't success, it's EXcess. It also does not raise my quality of life one iota. I have a car that I can afford, my mortgage is lower than most people's rent, and I don't have any credit card debt (I don't have credit cards at all, actually). I consider all those things "success", also.
If it's capitalistic to want affordable health care for my family, then sure, I guess I am. I don't want to make money, I want to make a comfortable life where I don't have to worry that a broken arm will result in having to file bankruptcy - and I don't have to worry about what's going to happen when I'm too old to work. I'm not at all interested in "keeping up with the Joneses". The Joneses probably live in a house they can't afford, drive cars they can't afford, and have credit card debt up to their eyeballs.
