A triumph of selfishness and/or stupidity

Today I witnessed something very depressing. I was trying to get out of LSE before the whole mob of idiots came to do their Freeze the Fees march, but ended up witnessing it anyway when I stepped out of Sainsbury after buying some groceries. I find the whole Freeze the Fees campaign utterly depressing for a few reasons, namely that to me it seems like a triumph of selfishness and/or stupidity.

Here's some background: The Brits are running a substantial budget deficit, and are making cuts in every single sector possible. Sectors big in the news are housing benefit and defence. School fees jump because well, I am in school now and surrounded by affected parties. The big stink seems largely to result from the LibDem's promise of no school fee rises, something which they are now unable to deliver.

Briefly:-
- Heavily subsided student fees are, like housing benefit, a massive strain to the budget. Take into account that 40% of all UK people are uni educated, the most in the entire of Europe, that is a lot of cash

- The 40% is ALREADY too much for the UK market to handle. While skilled labour like plumbing suffers and my landlord complains of getting raped £500 for a few hours visit by the repairman (but he's a dirty complaining pussy anyway, so I take that figure with a pinch of salt), graduates are studying liberal arts in substandard universities and hence unable to find any jobs thereafter

- Additionally, I find a lot of BRITS especially do not treasure their education. Of all the classes, the people who attend lowest percentage wise, are the British people. Why? Because university is not for studying, it's for hardcore partying. Most of the people who have to redo a year do so not because they're soft in the head, but because they've been partying too much. University, as a good, is not treasured.

- Going to university is seen as a right, and so does subsided fees. They are not. Freeze the fees reeks massively of the whole ME ME ME entitlement psyche. Why? Because there is still access to the same student loans given by the government. The difference is that when these people have to work later, they will have to pay more. There is still access available to whoever chooses to take up the offer. I bet the American kids and THEIR student loans are wondering what all the fuss in the UK is about.

- A common argument is that if the fees rise, they will not be able to attend university, or will seriously reconsider it. GOOD I say, because that is darwinism at work. If you fail to see the value of an education, then you really ought to be doing something else. I pay £14,000 in school fees alone a YEAR. Why? Because I see the value and the merit of studying. It is a good I am willing to pay that much more for. I could have stayed at home where my university would have been subsidised (and only because my government is running a very very healthy budget surplus), but I chose to go to LSE. Why? Because it is worth the cost.

- Furthermore, the argument that the rich bankers should subsidise students should be looked at from the other side of the coin: a man supporting his family, working at the local chip shop for £6 an hour IS SUBSIDISING YOUR SCHOOL FEES AS WELL. Now tell me, is that fair?

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Ah just fucking grow a pair and stop shouting about something that was no one's fault (well perhaps you could blame Labour and their over generous welfare spending, the Iraq War...), and just SUCK UP like the family that can no longer claim housing benefit.

The worst part is as EDUCATED UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, you should have realised that this is a necessary evil that no government wants to undertake. Your country, in a matter of simple economics, CANNOT SUSTAIN THE SUBSIDIES ANYMORE. France just endured massive strikes and riots because of pension problems, Greece collapsed because they were giving out welfare benefits like candy. This is just nuts. Money doesn't grow on fucking trees you know.

Plus, at the end of the big student strike, came the enticement for students to go: a party in LSE. It's almost like any attempt to appear thoughtful and politically motivated was just a thin veneer for more partying and hooking up, reinforcing the utter disgust and contempt I feel for the whole Freeze the Fees movement.

Just fucking grow up people. You're not the only ones suffering from budget cuts.