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What do we do with all the young people? This is the issue modern society faces, as longer life expectancy means positions (social, industrial, political) no longer open up as fast.
In the past society has
- sent them to die in wars
- encouraged them to colonise new lands
- put them to work in factories
These can all be considered "contributing" to society.
Over the past few decades in New Zealand the answer seems to have been "offer them more education and hope they miraculously emerge as producing members of society". In practicality all this does in time-shift the issue while flipping the coin from "contributing" to "consuming" (alt. "costing").
Instead of sending them away we're loading them with a potential lifetimes debt, but student loans are simply an attempt to recoup some of that cost, in a way that isn't done for primary, secondary and even the bulk of tertiary funding. The issues around student loans are barely even symptomatic of the root cause, which I see as a lack of clear options for young people to start living their lives.
Education is somehow considered the magic wand. "Keep them in school until they're 18". "If they can't get a job send them to Uni/Tech/xyz course". There appear to be no resources dedicated to actually transitioning from "in education" to "productive member of society".
Where is the support for someone who wants to start a business straight out of school? Or who wants to explore their options for a few years, not have to commit to one option for three? or who -knows- what they want to do to contribute to society, has real passion, but in a way which is not easily measured in dollars and cents?
No resources, but the -expectation- is still there. "You've finished school, get a job." Why aren't you doing something with your life?" "What are you studying -for-?"
What are you studying for? I submit in many cases because it's the best of a very poor set of options. Heck, even if I started counting up the number of already well-qualified post-grads I know in that boat....
Getting back on track -
Situation: the environment say an 18 year old school leaver is entering today is markedly different from 20, 30, 40 years ago, when the people making policy were growing up.
Problem: all the old paths are taken, upgraded to railways and packed full like the japanese subway.
Solution: let them forge new paths. Let's go back to my initial example of colonisation. The frontier isn't across the sea, it is within the very fabric of society. Youth have passion, drive and energy, We need to stop strangling that and let it grow into their future.
In the past society has
- sent them to die in wars
- encouraged them to colonise new lands
- put them to work in factories
These can all be considered "contributing" to society.
Over the past few decades in New Zealand the answer seems to have been "offer them more education and hope they miraculously emerge as producing members of society". In practicality all this does in time-shift the issue while flipping the coin from "contributing" to "consuming" (alt. "costing").
Instead of sending them away we're loading them with a potential lifetimes debt, but student loans are simply an attempt to recoup some of that cost, in a way that isn't done for primary, secondary and even the bulk of tertiary funding. The issues around student loans are barely even symptomatic of the root cause, which I see as a lack of clear options for young people to start living their lives.
Education is somehow considered the magic wand. "Keep them in school until they're 18". "If they can't get a job send them to Uni/Tech/xyz course". There appear to be no resources dedicated to actually transitioning from "in education" to "productive member of society".
Where is the support for someone who wants to start a business straight out of school? Or who wants to explore their options for a few years, not have to commit to one option for three? or who -knows- what they want to do to contribute to society, has real passion, but in a way which is not easily measured in dollars and cents?
No resources, but the -expectation- is still there. "You've finished school, get a job." Why aren't you doing something with your life?" "What are you studying -for-?"
What are you studying for? I submit in many cases because it's the best of a very poor set of options. Heck, even if I started counting up the number of already well-qualified post-grads I know in that boat....
Getting back on track -
Situation: the environment say an 18 year old school leaver is entering today is markedly different from 20, 30, 40 years ago, when the people making policy were growing up.
Problem: all the old paths are taken, upgraded to railways and packed full like the japanese subway.
Solution: let them forge new paths. Let's go back to my initial example of colonisation. The frontier isn't across the sea, it is within the very fabric of society. Youth have passion, drive and energy, We need to stop strangling that and let it grow into their future.
