Anyone protesting today?
Heh, I know how you feel! I went on a general anti-cuts demo through my city three weeks ago and got all fired up, and I really support the protests, but I just feel old and creaky and want the next generation of young enthusiastic idealistic students to do the protesting for me! Wrong, I know, but hey...
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I am resisting, I am resisting. But I do have a useful song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAXeUKPwBj4
Heh, Eska, like it!
I think yesterday shows the level of anger people feel over what's happening in this country at the moment. People are seeing the opportunities available in society rolled right back (and let's remember, most of the students protesting are doing so on behalf of other people!). The tuition fee increase means many people will now no longer feel able to get a university education no matter how academically able or interested they are, or will face debts that will cripple them into the future. And the police tactics at the demonstrations - kettling people and then charging the penned-in crowds on horseback - were only ever going to inflame people's anger. The real shame of it is that the government can use all of this to deflect attention from the real issues - but I don't intend to blame the protesters for that, they're the ones actually standing up for something that's right.
I'm on another forum and I'm very much in the minority there. They're all saying that students are idiots and that 'a degree is worth paying for and it won't put people off' and that it will stop people doing 'worthless' degrees. :-s
I'm just SO glad I got my BSc and MSc out of the way before they did this with the fees!
Oh, that argument about 'worthless' degrees makes me fume. As if limiting access to university by making it too expensive for vast swathes of the population has anything at all to do with making degrees somehow more 'worthwhile'.
The other thing making me fume is all the Facebook status updates where people go on about how layabout students must be too rich and too underworked if they can afford to take a day off to go to London to protest. Yeah, cos it's all just a nice hobby, not about the whole future of education and the opportunities available to people.
It seems to be people who've never been to uni that argue along those lines though, those who think degrees are worthless, because they've done better with their experience. i'm not even sure if that type of career path is even open to people any more!?
They're all suggesting that if a degree is an investment in their future they should pay and because you don't pay up front it doesn't stop anyone from doing a degree. hmm
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I'm so appalled at the way they're treating these kids - how dare they do this to our kids - trapping them against their will into the night on a blooming bridge over ice water, freezing, crushed, without a toilet or food and the constant threat of violence (Ray Mears should be up on arms), so they had to pee somewhere and then condemn them for peeing in the wrong place. I'm just blooming livid. How dare they wear balaclavas and carry weapons. Just had to say that - the world's gone mad and it's frightening. Hug a hoody indeed.
