Economist article on mobility



From http://economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?story_id=4174181

"...Yet various studies also indicate that social mobility has weakened; indeed by some measures it may be worse than it is in crusty old Europe."

They seem to believe more and better education is the answer. I
submit that we'll see - if Europe keeps slowing down ( Europeans
are better educated than us Murkins by a bit of a margin),
I wonder what to make of that premise.

I'm quite skeptical. I think Americans are somewhat
overeducated with respect to its effect on the economy
(although reports of plant relocations to Canada make
me flinch).

It may well be that education *was* the answer,
fifty years ago. But now, facing my own
college age kids, I have to tell them to look
well beyond college and make sure college is
worth the time spent.

Back to the article: I think I see this, and it's
not pretty. If the myth of meritocracy bursts, it's
going to get *very* ugly, *very* fast.

--
Les Cargill
.



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