Never too late to turnaround and get some education. Economic inequality and mobility. What do you think? It IS a heated birdbath.
It's almost never too late.
Let me complete the phrase above. "Changing may be easier at different times than others, but it's never too late to change."
The Chalkbeat article below details a school for adults who decided to make a positive change, to go back and finish their high school education. Things like this hit close to home for me.
I have a soft spot for the non-traditional students in my classes. I have also thought a lot about volunteering at my school's GED program when I semi-retire.
The article is worth a read. I'll leave you to it.
If you or someone you know is thinking of a change, is thinking of going back to take another pass at a former choice, I want to share something I've learned in years of teaching.
I have seen people of all ages and with all kinds of life constraints be successful in changing their lives. There is no reason to think you can't or that it's too late.
It may involve more or less work. It may involve more or less difficulty. It is not impossible.
Talk to someone at your local community college. They have programs and/or connections to get you started.
If you're open, one last bit of advice. Temper your expectations as to how quickly you can do this: remember that you eat a whale one bite at a time.
https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2024/10/25/goodwill-excel-center-to-educate-adults-in-aurora/
Economic inequality and mobility. What do you think?
I read an op ed recently that touched on the subject of economic mobility (among other things--see the first link below) and got me thinking. Thinking in particular about the concept itself and how it's viewed by others.
There can be little doubt that we have a problem in this country with too many people not succeeding. There are racial disparities in this lack of success too.
We could reasonably debate the causes of both, but the plain and simple fact is that we have a problem. And it's a problem that I'm sure most reasonable people agree needs to be worked on. It helps no one to have people that are not functionally able to help themselves or to raise children that can eventually do the same.
One of the best ways to address this problem is with economic mobility, specifically the idea that no matter where you are now, you're not stuck there.**
I personally am of the opinion that economic mobility is the only FAIR way to do this, at least at the level of government intervention. Opportunity and support in achieving a goal, as long as all are able to access them equally, doesn't not put the government in the position of taking from one and giving to another.
I don't think I am alone in this. Interestingly, if you look at the second link below, you will see the ultra-mega-beyond progressive group Bell Policy Center's take on the issue. Reading through it, I saw a lot of overlap with my thoughts.
Where we differ is where we humans always do: same goals, different ideas of how to get there.
What do you think? I'm curious to hear any thoughts you have on the matter. Feel free to add to the comments.
As for me, I see education as a big BIG component of economic mobility. I am not so stuck on the idea of a bachelor's degree as the only way, but I am a believer in getting some form of post-secondary education.
The thing about education that trips some people up is the opportunity cost. In order to get the education that opens more doors to you you must be willing to give up (at least temporarily) what you have now.
You sacrifice time.
You sacrifice money.
You sacrifice some social relationships.
You sacrifice some of your self image.
You do these things in the hope that what you get on the other side is worth more than what you have now (it usually is), but I see plenty of people stop because they gave up believing in that bargain, or someone they know convinced them.
That, trying to keep people motivated to continue, is one of the giant problems we have to work on if we're to get people through the education they'll need in order to not get stuck.
What do you think?
p.s. if what you're interested in more is doing some reading on the topic, I put a link to the Wikipedia page on the topic third below so you have a good jumping-off point.
**I am also not a believer that getting higher on the income ladder is a zero sum game, that is that there is a fixed number of slots in any income bracket and you can only occupy one by someone else leaving.
https://pagetwo.completecolorado.com/2024/10/28/rosen-what-progressives-get-wrong-about-income-distribution/
https://www.bellpolicy.org/what-is-economic-mobility/#:~:text=Economic%20Mobility%20describes%20how%20economic,person's%20status%20is%20getting%20better.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_mobility#/media/File:Going_up_or_down_advertisement.jpg
It is a heated birdbath.
I know it looks like a heated outdoor dog water dish.
It's not. It's a birdbath.
On sale at a local store, heated pet dishes make cheap heated birdbaths. I added some rocks since the birds don't like to swim and I don't know how well they can grip the rim of the bath.
This way the little birds can have liquid water all day everyday.
