Percentage of Young Americans Living with Parents Rises to 75-Year High • Hacker News Board

Re: Percentage of Young Americans Living with Parents Rises to 75-Year High

#191

Post by dagw » Thu, Dec 22, 2016, 1:29 PM UTC

gexla wrote: post #155

ieatkittens wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Also, in a way it is nice. You are NEVER alone. You ALWAYS have people waiting for you when you come back from work. Glad it works for you, but that has got to be the third circle of my personal hell. > 'Being alone' is seldom a reason for a depressed Indian - the family is always there. That's nice. Some European countries are exactly the opposite. It's my hypothesis that this is the cause for many suicides, despi…

> Glad it works for you, but that has got to be the third circle of my personal hell. Here, here. Not only do I not live with parents, friends or anyone else. The slowly but steadily losing side of a current raging personal debate in my head is that one day I should share my life with a significant other and perhaps have a family of my own. That idea is on the ropes but I'm not quite ready to close that door complete…

I can completely relate. Deciding to share a flat with my then girlfriend, now wife (and literally the first non-family member I shared a living space with outside of boarding school), was a much much bigger and more difficult decision for me than the decision to have kids or get married. And even 10+ years later I'd be lying if said that I don't sometime still miss living alone.

Re: Percentage of Young Americans Living with Parents Rises to 75-Year High

#192

Post by codingmyway » Thu, Dec 22, 2016, 1:30 PM UTC

taurath wrote: post #65

jackcosgrove wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have policies that favor home owners because, 1) older people are more likely to own homes and they vote at higher rates, and 2) politicians love property tax revenue. If you don't vote and you don't fill their coffers, you're invisible to politicians.

And there is a generation of people ready with hammers to knock down that wall of equity so they can afford to live. Right now we're in the negotiating phase. Wait for the right politician.

The occupy movement should have occupied all vacant buildings, a lot of which were effectively owned by banks, and demanded the return of squatters rights.

Next time, get it right

Re: Percentage of Young Americans Living with Parents Rises to 75-Year High

#193

Post by msimpson » Thu, Dec 22, 2016, 1:30 PM UTC

First of all, housing in America is a dual income trap. So unless you are comfortable with roommates, have a significant other, or can attain a lucrative salary, you have limited options. Second, renting is for chumps; as you will simply throw money away to the tune of a monthly mortgage payment.

Therefore, you should stay where you are (if possible) and save until that down payment can make a worthwhile home affordable with only a single income. It is the only fiscally responsible choice.

Re: Percentage of Young Americans Living with Parents Rises to 75-Year High

#194

Post by knz » Thu, Dec 22, 2016, 1:35 PM UTC

FussyZeus wrote: post #185

epalmer wrote: post #174

I have two girls, 24 and 18 years old. Both live at home right now. The 24 year old graduated from a selective private liberal arts college in 2015 and is working part time in a library. She does not qualify for health insurance or many other benefits. She does not make enough to live on her own. She is also in graduate school online for a Master of Library Science (MLS). She wants to be a librarian and you pretty mu…

I don't understand this situation with your daughter: - Wanted to be a librarian - Studied to be a librarian - Graduated school to be a librarian - Got a job as a librarian - Doesn't make enough to live on her own and pay the cost of her education to be a librarian And this isn't isolated to librarians, it's just a very instructive example. How is it we now have entire classes of jobs where the education they require…

I don't understand why a librarian needs a master's degree? Is it just due to competition for a limited number of positions? Or are there skills gained from post graduate study that are essential to being a librarian?

Re: Percentage of Young Americans Living with Parents Rises to 75-Year High

#195

Post by FussyZeus » Thu, Dec 22, 2016, 1:38 PM UTC

knz wrote: post #194

FussyZeus wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand this situation with your daughter: - Wanted to be a librarian - Studied to be a librarian - Graduated school to be a librarian - Got a job as a librarian - Doesn't make enough to live on her own and pay the cost of her education to be a librarian And this isn't isolated to librarians, it's just a very instructive example. How is it we now have entire classes of jobs where the education they require…

I don't understand why a librarian needs a master's degree? Is it just due to competition for a limited number of positions? Or are there skills gained from post graduate study that are essential to being a librarian?

I don't understand that either but for the purposes of the question it isn't really needed. The library has decided these are the requirements yet is paying a salary to a worker that doesn't sustain those requirements, and I'm wondering why this is allowed.

Re: Percentage of Young Americans Living with Parents Rises to 75-Year High

#196

Post by q-base » Thu, Dec 22, 2016, 1:43 PM UTC

msimpson wrote: post #193

First of all, housing in America is a dual income trap. So unless you are comfortable with roommates, have a significant other, or can attain a lucrative salary, you have limited options. Second, renting is for chumps; as you will simply throw money away to the tune of a monthly mortgage payment. Therefore, you should stay where you are (if possible) and save until that down payment can make a worthwhile home afforda…

Renting also equals freedom. YES you may throw away money in the light of the ability to sell a property at equal or higher price than you payed. BUT you may also end up losing a lot of money or being bound to a property if market changes and prices drop. Renting is a transparent way of knowing the cost of living where you do. In a liquid somewhat stable housing market you probably are better off buying - but just to say that saying renting is for chumps is bit of a simplification in my opinion.

P.S. I know the above probably is a bit of topic as even having the ability to choose somewhat implies that you aren't totally struggling financially.

Re: Percentage of Young Americans Living with Parents Rises to 75-Year High

#197

Post by packrat » Thu, Dec 22, 2016, 1:46 PM UTC

knz wrote: post #194

FussyZeus wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand this situation with your daughter: - Wanted to be a librarian - Studied to be a librarian - Graduated school to be a librarian - Got a job as a librarian - Doesn't make enough to live on her own and pay the cost of her education to be a librarian And this isn't isolated to librarians, it's just a very instructive example. How is it we now have entire classes of jobs where the education they require…

I don't understand why a librarian needs a master's degree? Is it just due to competition for a limited number of positions? Or are there skills gained from post graduate study that are essential to being a librarian?

I had one library manager admit to me that it was a bit of a guild system: really, the only place you use the proprietary bits of a library science degree is in a library. If they hired anybody who showed proficiency in Dewey Decimal System, processing books and conservation, who would ever get a Master's Degree in it ever again? and of course, these are not a significant portion of the equation anymore.

Re: Percentage of Young Americans Living with Parents Rises to 75-Year High

#198

Post by epalmer » Thu, Dec 22, 2016, 1:50 PM UTC

FussyZeus wrote: post #185

epalmer wrote: post #174

I have two girls, 24 and 18 years old. Both live at home right now. The 24 year old graduated from a selective private liberal arts college in 2015 and is working part time in a library. She does not qualify for health insurance or many other benefits. She does not make enough to live on her own. She is also in graduate school online for a Master of Library Science (MLS). She wants to be a librarian and you pretty mu…

I don't understand this situation with your daughter: - Wanted to be a librarian - Studied to be a librarian - Graduated school to be a librarian - Got a job as a librarian - Doesn't make enough to live on her own and pay the cost of her education to be a librarian And this isn't isolated to librarians, it's just a very instructive example. How is it we now have entire classes of jobs where the education they require…

It is a little more complicated and it is not as bad as it sounds for her.

Undergraduate degree in sociology and a minor in anthropology. BA in sociology is not very employable but is the most common undergraduate degree for librarians.

Once the affordable care act (ObamaCare) was made into law the library (local public library) started making most non-librarian jobs part time so they don't have to provide health insurance. So today she works circulation but is not a librarian.

She has no college debt because she got a free education. I work at the college and they pay full tuition for some staff and faculty children. Her education would not have been worth the greater than $200,000 retail cost of her degree. We are very lucky to have her college paid for.

She will end up paying for maybe 80% of her graduate degree herself and take student loans out for the last semester.

She puts money aside in her roth IRA. We are lucky she is cheap and sees the value in saving for retirement. I guess her mom and I did something right.

Her mom and I both work for colleges. Her mom works for a public four year school and I work for a private liberal arts college. We see in both that many graduates are not earning what they claim the graduates can earn. As I said in my original post that this will catch up in Liberal Arts (and really non-technical) degreed students.

Her younger sister will be going to an engineering school where the graduates are earning, on average, 25% more right out of school than other engineering schools. We are hopeful she can avoid automation job collapse and maybe participate in the automation side of this phenomenon. "If you can't beat them then join them."

Re: Percentage of Young Americans Living with Parents Rises to 75-Year High

#199

Post by sumedh » Thu, Dec 22, 2016, 1:50 PM UTC

1982734234 wrote: post #190

aphextron wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This seems like a huge cultural difference from the west. I personally can't imagine having lived with my parents into my 20s. The people I know who did are mostly far more dependent. I think this has a lot to do with our focus on individuality. I don't think I would have developed into the person I am today without having dealt with the hardships of making my own way in life as an independent person. I can absolutel…

I don't think it is merely cultural. It has to be a genetic difference between people of particular areas.

Not sure if you are serious, what does this have to do with genetics?

Re: Percentage of Young Americans Living with Parents Rises to 75-Year High

#200

Post by FussyZeus » Thu, Dec 22, 2016, 1:52 PM UTC

epalmer wrote: post #198

FussyZeus wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand this situation with your daughter: - Wanted to be a librarian - Studied to be a librarian - Graduated school to be a librarian - Got a job as a librarian - Doesn't make enough to live on her own and pay the cost of her education to be a librarian And this isn't isolated to librarians, it's just a very instructive example. How is it we now have entire classes of jobs where the education they require…

It is a little more complicated and it is not as bad as it sounds for her. Undergraduate degree in sociology and a minor in anthropology. BA in sociology is not very employable but is the most common undergraduate degree for librarians. Once the affordable care act (ObamaCare) was made into law the library (local public library) started making most non-librarian jobs part time so they don't have to provide health ins…

Oh alright, I misunderstood on a few points. Thanks for clarifying and tell her good luck from a rando person on the Internet.