I had posted last week about the successful and sustainable entrepreneurial spirit that I saw in Zimbabwe during my last visit there some time ago. As much as this is the case in so much of Africa due to the fact that governments have left their people to fend for themselves, it is interesting to note the recent uproar in South African universities.
The entitlement attitude seen by these young people is partly due to the lofty promises made by the government. Promises that can not logically be followed through on, but promises that sway voters.
The fact is that nothing in this world is FREE, and it cost someone, something, even if it didn't cost you anything. I believe that there is an education bubble looming in the US, mainly because someone can create a $250,000 debt in obtaining an education, only to earn $40,000 per year. I am not at all against furthering an education, and you can bet that I as a parent will do everything in the world to make sure that my children obtain an education that will enable them to reach for the stars, but with such stagnant wage growth in the US, there is no humanly possible way that a salary of $40,000/year will make a dent into student debt of such magnitude.
I started with how South African students were rioting over being extended student debt over being given FREE education, and so to finish I need to address this issue. Again, nothing is free, but we all need to play a role in creating solutions to the problems that we face. Entrepreneurialism is a solution mandate, which sometimes gets in the way of those just accepting the status quo. I can assure you that there are people in South Africa graduating from University without debt, and without government assistance or wealthy parents, they have seen the challenge of what lies ahead and thought creatively through the options to make their dreams a reality.
What situation are you facing that requires a little more creativity, even if it may mean a little pain?
The entitlement attitude seen by these young people is partly due to the lofty promises made by the government. Promises that can not logically be followed through on, but promises that sway voters.
The fact is that nothing in this world is FREE, and it cost someone, something, even if it didn't cost you anything. I believe that there is an education bubble looming in the US, mainly because someone can create a $250,000 debt in obtaining an education, only to earn $40,000 per year. I am not at all against furthering an education, and you can bet that I as a parent will do everything in the world to make sure that my children obtain an education that will enable them to reach for the stars, but with such stagnant wage growth in the US, there is no humanly possible way that a salary of $40,000/year will make a dent into student debt of such magnitude.
I started with how South African students were rioting over being extended student debt over being given FREE education, and so to finish I need to address this issue. Again, nothing is free, but we all need to play a role in creating solutions to the problems that we face. Entrepreneurialism is a solution mandate, which sometimes gets in the way of those just accepting the status quo. I can assure you that there are people in South Africa graduating from University without debt, and without government assistance or wealthy parents, they have seen the challenge of what lies ahead and thought creatively through the options to make their dreams a reality.
What situation are you facing that requires a little more creativity, even if it may mean a little pain?
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