I was going to start here with an exposition on the subject of Peak Oil and its implications, but I fear the subject has been belabored on the web. I think everyone knows what's going on by this point. Only the government keeps quiet on the subject. (For those who yet remain in the dark, cheap oil -- and other resources -- are running out, driving up the cost of everything and leading to what will be a permanent decline in economic production; the end of economic growth means eventual monetary crisis in every country with substantial national debt; monetary crisis means economic depression)
My question is, how can people justify taking on any additional loans, including student loans, at this point in time? I recently learned that you can't just "default" on student loans and may be in debt slavery for decades to come, as well as family members who may have undersigned the loans.
Does anybody honestly think the economy is going to "get better" and everyone will be able to get jobs again?
How many recent graduates cannot find any job or are working at Starbucks for $8/hr. with no prospects for a higher paying job?
How can one justify going into debt to pay for schooling that will not provide a return on investment?
Do people realize what the risks of taking on college debt are?
How can someone justify paying $20,000 a year to learn stuff you can learn for free from books, with the result of being miserable for years to come?