I just wanted to add a bit more to the last post even though it's not very ecological. Of course, it's not all that black and white. As long as you work in the Alberta tar sands or you are a computer scientist you'll make a lot of money at a young age. In KW my husband has met again quite a few of his university buddies, most of which studied computer science and now work for Google, RIM, OpenText and the like. They earn a lot of money, seriously. Half of them do not work 8-hour-days though, something that for us is paramount because we have a child. I am not giving up that little bit of time that I see my daughter now every day for longer work days. No thanks. I spoke once to an event organiser not much older than myself and she said she loves her job but it will not ever make her rich. She said all her friends have 6-digit incomes. Really? Not sure how they do it but I know I can't relate to people my age that own a big house and two cars and lots of fancy stuff because they can afford it.
My husband still says his best job ever was in Scotland. His boss realised how clever he is and made him let him do the year-end report. Ever since, his career has gone downhill and the experience we have made is that we get hired for jobs we are overqualified for and since we do them well and have spare time left from the 40-hour-week we are given even less appealing tasks. So much for motivation. If it was not for that bit of money that makes such a difference in our bank account I would not do the job. Can't wait to be done with it though in a month. Besides feeling deprived of fresh air and sunlight from sitting inside all day I am not happy with the tasks given to fill in my time, including being asked to take out the garbage that I am not creating because I don't bring in Tim Hortons three times a day.
All the baby boomers I know, and those are not too few due to certain clubs and committees I have joined being full of them have a lot. I don't think they realise, they just take it for granted. Says that article that expectations have changed over the years. Sure, they have. When you leave the house of your parents you are not going to go from having it all to having nothing and live on a mattress in an empty room. You may detest the materialism you have experienced over the years (or you love it and overspend until you are hopelessly in debt) but you still want some things. Besides, if you were to put a child to sleep in a dresser drawer now and anybody finds out you probably have social services come and take your child away.
Anyway, I can't relate to those people either, even though it's nice talking to them once in a while.
One more story of I can't relate to them. We met a couple recently, very nice smart people, whose both kids are off to university now. She complained how expensive it was and I agree with her there. But they have a combined yearly income of $170,000!!! What are they talking about? I mean what would you spend so much money otherwise on? The education of your kids seems a decent idea, although I still believe the kids should have to pay part of the expense themselves.
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