Author: bawa
Date: 2006-11-19 17:40
Frank,
I am in my early forties, married with two kids and mortgage(s); is that an idealistic world? I work part-time from home (in my field), and my bh full-time in univ. When he left his "full-time life-long safe" job to go and pursue graduate studies abroad (which took him a lot of time and might easily have never come to anything- they do Fail thesis as well), he was considered crazy too. I have actually worked full-time for many years and with "life-tenure" but gave up, decided to cut back on my "needs & wants" and work from home to be able to bring up my kids myself.
When I wen to university, I was told my choice was extremely impractical (Geography-physical), and what good ever was geography???
Economics was better and even within geog, it was better to be a geologist: those ones got any real jobs out there.
The other day my car broke-down and the nice man of 35 or so that came with the tow-truck told me cheerfully he had a degree in geology but could find no jobs and there he was...
Yes, the economists get employed, but in most end up in jobs that they could have done with no degree whatsoever. After over 20 years of teaching in an econ faculty the conclusion is this, you may admit a 20, 100 or 200 students. The number that are actually going to make it or work as economists is an absolute number that doesn't change every year, it is not a percentage. And these are the ones who will study and swot to get the top grades. The rest will drift off to do all sorts of jobs that anyone could do (including musicians).
As for the musicians, this is based on the living standards of the local orchestra players, the members of the various municipal bands, the conservatory teachers, and some free-lance pianists that I know.
Then there are a lot of people here at 35 or more still living on "precarious grants" (becas) when they are researchers in physics, engineering, biology, what-have-you doctorates. A lot of the doctors emigrate to the UK, where apparently there's a shortage...and the number of years and hours they have to put in before they start getting any leisure time is very very long.
So Frank I am not saying that you are wrong, its just that both our experiences are true and obviously as valid. Maybe the main differences is taxation. We are highly taxed in Europe (although quite progressively here) but I don't mind because for me being "rich" is that everyone around me, regardless of how low or well-paid there job is, has a minimum guarantee about the basics of life (health, education, public transport, even the Music Conservatory ...)
The other thing that helps is that most children will live at home until they get married or buy their own place. This can be very very late mostly, especially if they work near their home towns (mobility is low here).
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