Comments on: The Death of the Middle Class? http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-death-of-the-middle-class/ The blog of the free, simple personal finance solution. Track all your spending automatically, find the best deals, save more money. And save the world. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:21:10 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Srikanth http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-death-of-the-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-36070 Srikanth Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:40:10 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=5195#comment-36070 I strangely felt that this article even though points to our perilous future - it is not way off the mark. I mean it is ok to offer criticism but to call the author names just to make a counter point seems a little shall we say petty and unprofessional. Anyways, I do think that there is something to what he is saying and of course - for the last 2 years or so - I myself have been a prophet of doom. Take my comments with that pinch of salt. Having said that, I hope I am wrong and our way of life is nt destroyed. I strangely felt that this article even though points to our perilous future – it is not way off the mark. I mean it is ok to offer criticism but to call the author names just to make a counter point seems a little shall we say petty and unprofessional.

Anyways, I do think that there is something to what he is saying and of course – for the last 2 years or so – I myself have been a prophet of doom. Take my comments with that pinch of salt.

Having said that, I hope I am wrong and our way of life is nt destroyed.

]]> By: E L Tucker http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-death-of-the-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-35841 E L Tucker Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:23:51 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=5195#comment-35841 As a "senior" with a background in secondary school teaching, software testing and a myriad of other minor occupations I am always a little dumbfounded at the level of discourse on most of these sites. It's very obvious that education in this country has not improved since I left it in 1972. Very few seem to be able to communicate without vulgarity and/or profanity. No wonder we are in such trouble, people cannot express their ideas clearly. As a “senior” with a background in secondary school teaching, software testing and a myriad of other minor occupations I am always a little dumbfounded at the level of discourse on most of these sites. It’s very obvious that education in this country has not improved since I left it in 1972. Very few seem to be able to communicate without vulgarity and/or profanity. No wonder we are in such trouble, people cannot express their ideas clearly. ]]> By: Facebook User http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-death-of-the-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-35736 Facebook User Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:33:24 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=5195#comment-35736 Well said John. Well said John. ]]> By: Facebook User http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-death-of-the-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-35735 Facebook User Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:31:09 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=5195#comment-35735 It would be beneficial to all if the top of this article started out with a clearly shown content type title... i.e. "Guest Editorial". It should also have a tag cloud suggesting its content and direction. I found this to be a complete waste of my time and I fully agree with Ryan on the loss of credibility. It would be beneficial to all if the top of this article started out with a clearly shown content type title… i.e. “Guest Editorial”.

It should also have a tag cloud suggesting its content and direction. I found this to be a complete waste of my time and I fully agree with Ryan on the loss of credibility.

]]> By: Facebook User http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-death-of-the-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-35734 Facebook User Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:24:09 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=5195#comment-35734 Chris: "Just save generally and wait for the coming totally free online classes that our children will take for granted." This is already available (MIT), but taking those classes, while valuable to the individual, does not improve your chances at a job making more than $25k if there is no accredited degree program with it. I think it is sensationalist, naive, and in very poor taste to tell people this is where we're headed. There will always be a place for higher learning even when classes and information are available for free (What is a library? Yep guess what, information has been free much longer than you've been alive). We are facing a continual decline of American students entering technical, science, and engineering oriented degree programs that has many people worried. These fields are all rapidly changing and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, and likewise the amount of study needed to become an expert in the field is increasing... Free classes may become a reality, but someone will always have to verify that you have the capability to translate 'book' learning into skills, and that is a part of what a college classroom does. For technical fields the degree program is not going away in our lifetimes. Chris: “Just save generally and wait for the coming totally free online classes that our children will take for granted.”

This is already available (MIT), but taking those classes, while valuable to the individual, does not improve your chances at a job making more than $25k if there is no accredited degree program with it. I think it is sensationalist, naive, and in very poor taste to tell people this is where we’re headed.

There will always be a place for higher learning even when classes and information are available for free (What is a library? Yep guess what, information has been free much longer than you’ve been alive).

We are facing a continual decline of American students entering technical, science, and engineering oriented degree programs that has many people worried. These fields are all rapidly changing and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, and likewise the amount of study needed to become an expert in the field is increasing…

Free classes may become a reality, but someone will always have to verify that you have the capability to translate ‘book’ learning into skills, and that is a part of what a college classroom does. For technical fields the degree program is not going away in our lifetimes.

]]> By: chuck http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-death-of-the-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-35585 chuck Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:31:53 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=5195#comment-35585 Ummm, ever heard of OpenCourseWare? http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm Ummm, ever heard of OpenCourseWare?

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm

]]> By: Bruce http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-death-of-the-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-35363 Bruce Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:43:44 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=5195#comment-35363 Chris Larson is a total nutjob! The middle class isn't going anywhere. Chris Larson is a total nutjob! The middle class isn’t going anywhere. ]]> By: Brandon http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-death-of-the-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-35314 Brandon Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:56:55 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=5195#comment-35314 Not going to happen? http://about.ck12.org/ http://education.zdnet.com/?p=2935 This week, the efforts of the Foundation seem to have paid off, as they provided electronic textbooks through a California initiative that were clearly more aligned with state standards than any electronic texts from major publishers. According to a report from the California government, "Of the 16 free digital textbooks for high school math and science reviewed, ten meet at least 90 percent of California’s standards. Four meet 100 percent of standards, including the CK-12 Foundation’s CK-12 Single Variable Calculus, CK-12 Trigonometry, CK-12 Chemistry and Dr. H. Jerome Keisler’s Elementary Calculus: An Infinitesimal Approach." It's already happened. Get with the times. Not going to happen?

http://about.ck12.org/

http://education.zdnet.com/?p=2935

This week, the efforts of the Foundation seem to have paid off, as they provided electronic textbooks through a California initiative that were clearly more aligned with state standards than any electronic texts from major publishers. According to a report from the California government,

“Of the 16 free digital textbooks for high school math and science reviewed, ten meet at least 90 percent of California’s standards. Four meet 100 percent of standards, including the CK-12 Foundation’s CK-12 Single Variable Calculus, CK-12 Trigonometry, CK-12 Chemistry and Dr. H. Jerome Keisler’s Elementary Calculus: An Infinitesimal Approach.”

It’s already happened. Get with the times.

]]> By: Desiree http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-death-of-the-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-35036 Desiree Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:31:00 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=5195#comment-35036 I am less attached to money than I am to people. Though I'm a survivalist and can live in the woods for a month at a time. I am less attached to money than I am to people. Though I’m a survivalist and can live in the woods for a month at a time. ]]> By: Desiree http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-death-of-the-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-35035 Desiree Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:29:36 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=5195#comment-35035 @ Larry. I am not yet planning on giving money away. I actually am interested in meeting investors. I am an idea person. Flowing with ideas actually. I plan to give ideas away and give money back to people but with help in implementation. It's no wonder that most of the money goes bad. People need guidance. Not everyone is successful their first try and information is free but no one knows where to look. I can't believe all of the negative feedback this is recieving. You people don't notice all the millionaires with private jets and the middle class that can't afford a flight? Open up your minds and eyes. Nothing is permanent, everything is changing. Be a part of that change or be left in the dust. I'm sick of teaching people the importance of a brand instead it is my turn to create a brand. But not in a niche that exists. A niche will also need creating. @ Larry. I am not yet planning on giving money away. I actually am interested in meeting investors. I am an idea person. Flowing with ideas actually. I plan to give ideas away and give money back to people but with help in implementation. It’s no wonder that most of the money goes bad. People need guidance. Not everyone is successful their first try and information is free but no one knows where to look.

I can’t believe all of the negative feedback this is recieving. You people don’t notice all the millionaires with private jets and the middle class that can’t afford a flight? Open up your minds and eyes. Nothing is permanent, everything is changing. Be a part of that change or be left in the dust. I’m sick of teaching people the importance of a brand instead it is my turn to create a brand. But not in a niche that exists. A niche will also need creating.

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