> For individuals, this access to education promised more money, more status or both. But for governments, it also offered political stability — a way to convince people to buy into society as currently structured, by promising the potential for advancement to the underprivileged without ousting those who had wealth and power already.
were they trying to sell the promise that two objects can occupy the same space at the same time? XD
starting to realize that the more a government has to incentivize you to do something (govt loan for school, govt assistance for mortgage, govt subsidies for cars), the worse the thing is for the individual (and by extension society as a whole) in the end, with the actual long-term benefit seeming to go to an entrenched party (executives, landlords, automakers, respectively).
a good tell is that they did not already have a compelling argument to get you started on their thing, before offering the "help"
The older I've gotten the more I realize that everyone (especially Me) is replaceable by the next cheapest option. No matter who you are, if someone cheaper comes along that can do the job "almost as good" but cheaper, you can be replaced.
Work hard, not smart .... no career, no economy, no society.
AI is only going to obviate universities more
an unlocked gift article it needs a free account: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/13/world/europe/education-me...
The older and more experienced I've become the more I've realized that knowing the right people is often significantly more important than your education, your credentials, your career history, and your problem solving abilities in your professional domain.
It obviously isn't always the case, but at least where I live knowing the right people is extremely important if you want to get a job in the IT/software industry. I wish the importance of networking and getting to know the right people was stressed a lot more during my education and formative years.