System Shock

Again today American's had a system shock.  When something so horrific happens that they are systemically shocked by it.  Newtown, 9-11, Fort Hood, Virginia Tech, Lone Star College and on the list goes.  American's feel the shock, the sadness, the helplessness of it all.  They question.  They grieve.  They pray.  The government wants to pass laws.  News reporting rushes ahead of the facts and even sometimes gets in the way of them.  Reality television takes on an entirely different meaning.

Other countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Libya, Israel must all look at our news and our reactions to it and wonder, why do we seemingly go overboard when something like this happens when in their countries it is an everyday....and EVERYDAY occurrence.  Why do we not rise up in shock and outrage when even our own American soldiers are killed in other countries?  Why do we not feel the same shock and grief when their people are killed in huge groups on a daily basis?

Those in Chicago who have lost loved ones surely must ask themselves, why is this event worse than the loss of my child, my father, my brother, my husband, my family member?  Last year, 2012, 507 people were killed in Chicago.  So far in 2013, there have been as best as I've been able to find, 85 people killed.  America is not outraged by this.

Perhaps it is because what happens in other countries even to our own soldiers doesn't happen here.  Perhaps it is because those soldiers are lost in the performance of their duties.  Perhaps some Americans believe those are acceptable losses.

Perhaps it is because the people in those other countries that are killed are not Americans.  Perhaps there are some Americans who believe those people should die.  Perhaps some Americans don't care if they do because they are not in this country.

The government and some Americans run directly to passing laws because of these system shocks.  Guns must be stopped.  The mentally ill must be controlled.  Though I haven't heard anyone saying we need to ban knives such as were used in the Texas college stabbing.  Guns kill everyone apparently.  Except today in Boston.

But what of those in Chicago?  What of the 2012 number of more than 1 person being killed a day.....being killed a day.  I see no system shock here.  Because they are spread out the system shock doesn't register.  And so no one stands up to demand justice or to ensure it.

These things are just not shocking enough.....sadly.  Peace and comfort for all those who have lost those they love.

Zombie College

In general, I like college, or should I say I like college courses.  I think they are worthwhile for the most part and I enjoy learning new things or learning more about things I already know.  I think getting a college degree is worthwhile.  I am not convinced that it's the ticket to a better or a higher paying job anymore but I do think it's worthwhile to get one.

But there is something I hate about college and that is that it is a total scam to get as much money from  you as possible.  For a 4 year degree you are required to take about 60 credit hours of courses that have absolutely NOTHING to do with your degree.  Many of these courses are upper level courses in whatever your "major" of choice is.  These credits are almost NEVER offered either on campus or online in hours outside of 8am to 3pm.  When they are offered in Summer, the colleges will offer about 1/3 of your normal financial aid thus preventing you from taking more than 2 classes at most, so you are unable to take these upper level classes in Summer.  And remember, you cannot get your degree without them.

Thus, students like myself who are returning to college after many years and who MUST work full time, then find themselves going to college for at least 2 years sometimes 3 years longer than what should be necessary.  By doing so, we pay tuition for each semester we go longer.  We get further into debt with loans.  We grow older every year and by the time we get the degree we are approaching retirement age.

It then begs the question, why bother.  Why go into massive debt with no guarantee of a better or better paying job?  Why keep taking classes that have nothing to do with your major course of study just to fill out credit hours?  Why keep paying for classes that take you further and further down the age line and no closer to your degree?

I find myself faced with this very dilemma and coming to the conclusion that college is a financial scam aimed at getting the most money possible out of every single student.  That it is not designed in any way for anything outside of the traditional go Fall and Spring semester, no summer semester, take the barest minimum required students who go for years and years taking class after class of meaningless material.  While the college makes money hand over fist.  And I haven't even mentioned the scam of college textbooks, but I have long since found work arounds for that particular scam.  The classes though, I haven't and it is becoming harder and harder to justify going at all.

I am 50 years old.  Since I cannot take more than 2 upper level classes or even 2 classes at all this summer, and I still need 30 credit hours of these upper level classes, which again I cannot take in Fall or Spring, making me have to go to college years just to get these classes.  Am I supposed to go to college until I'm dead and leave an enormous college loan bill behind?

College is a scam....they want to pretend to be institutions of higher learning and that a college degree can afford you a high paying better job...but what they are are zombies eating away your money and your life while you just keep going to college until you are dead....