USA has a higher HDI than Canada. The index is (partly) based on the capability principle by Amartya Sen, that gives so many leftist an erection around here.

Positive liberty is a leftist joke.

Anyway, Thorongil claimed it is expensive to live in Germany, which is factually inaccurate, Germany is quite cheap. Also, "free" college does not mean an easy entry, they have got -- like many other European nations -- limited and highly regulated enrolment. Also, the German work-ethic is tough and disciplined.

But to keep this thread constructive, the purpose of a college degree is to get a job, keep that in mind, before enrolling. Take the opportunity cost of college into account as well, it is a-four-year loss of income and experience.

There are some really attractive vacancies regarding IT or programming that you could enrol without prior experience or qualifications, working on ERP software etcetera. You often get a free half-year course, paid by the corporate, and then a contract to get employed. The earnings are not bad as well -- well above the minimum wage -- you should consider it. It is in high demand, the job prospects are looking good and stable in the future.

I myself may consider to move to the USA in the future -- I have never been there.

edit: or just listen to Bittercrank, Hanover or Murray.

Maybe she [your mother] would like to have a torrid romance with the guy next door, for instance. Having an adult son in the next room cramps one's style. — Bitter Crank

Then your mother should be ashamed of herself.

My advice (as someone in an MA program in a related field in the humanities who has applied to PhD programs but is seriously thinking about dropping out of academia completely, even if he is accepted somewhere): you don't need a degree to be a philosopher. Find something tolerable to pay the bills, if possible, and pursue philosophy on your own time. — Thorongil

I endorse this advice fully. All my experience is congruent with this. (Y)

And I'd expect you'd even admit to the real benefit of getting out of the rut of dependency and directionlessness when you secured a challenging job. — Hanover

It's just a little weird to read that while glancing at your avatar.

Good point. We're all enigmatic at some level I guess.

A couple of points after a good nights rest.

Independence is something idolized here or at least in the west, which I find hilarious. I don't care for it.

Let me illiterature, hehe;

I am happy with my life with mom, we've been through hell and back.
I love my mom.
I love my mom and helping her more than prizing the realization of my dreams.
Me asking about living with my mom was not intended to be understood as something that bothers me; but, rather a question that originated from the demands of society, which I gladly have, will, and continue to shirk away from.

I like my job. (Anyone notice yet the "me myself and I" mindset that I am disregarding?)
I've been to college for a degree in behavioral economics, I know what its like and don't consider what other people here think is "rational" to do as something that they themselves really understand.
It isn't for me, despite appearing brilliant to every professor I have met.
I find the process of learning understanding! as a continual and gradual experience, which this forum provides quite nicely, than one that is amassed and condensed into a spam package to be then regurgitate back.
I have ways to make money; but actually don't care for money apart from the strict necessities in life (I'm a needs, not wants guy).

Actually, if one really wants to make money, one should NOT go into college and then get a degree in anything apart from the medical field or engineering; but, to do that you have to have quite a lot of passion and stamina. I can put forth 1/10'th the effort in selling novel chemicals or products with low capital costs in China with high markups, and low expenses in the US online (not drugs, although that's where the idea originated from), all while making enough money in 1 month as some posters here make in 1 year. Put that away in an index fund, do it for 5 years (usually the amount of time before the FDA comes in and saying something (bla bla bla) and live quite comfortably. Why am I not doing that already and wasting your time here? Well, if it isn't clear I don't care for money, haha.

Lastly, I have a very small ego (unlike, others who felt the need to make this thread about themselves, lol). I don't idolize it. I don't serve to it. I don't cater to it. I don't care about it. It's probably some issue, which is bothering me less and less as I progress through the years. I'm not a very sociable guy as you might guess, due to finding other ego's quite burdensome.

I am an ethical person, and my only desire is to help my mom pay off her bills and mortgage. Despite me not being a self serving prick and at it feeling all great and accomplished, I am happy with my life and only asked for some advice regarding furthering my studies in philosophy and being recognized socially in that through a public institution. Seeing as the process is more trouble than good, I have resigned from it and in that have answered my own question through the kindness of other posters sharing their wisdom. So, yeah, minds can be changed, even on internet forums!

Good day to you all.

I myself may consider to move to the USA in the future -- I have never been there. — Emptyheady

If you're in Atlanta, stop on by.

We live in a world where fatherhood and paternalism are shunned, as in how dare I tell a young man to dust off and get back in there. — Hanover

Oh yeah, and guess what, Hanover means by "paternalism" and "fatherhood" promiscuity and the like. He certainly didn't tell Question to go and get married. He told him to move out. To do what? Presumably to fuck around, as he vigorously recommends, publicly and without shame whenever he gets the chance, is that right? :-} That's what makes one a "real man" according to this :-x .

I moved out early, but there's nothing "great" in that. The only reason why I moved out was simply because circumstances demanded that I do so. There's literarily nothing great or admirable in moving out from your mother's flat... It's simply absurd for fuck's sake >:O Quite the contrary, someone may choose to stay with their mother to help her as she's getting older, and even bring their own wife, and future children and raise them there, in an extended family.

Oh please. Save the psychoanalysis. I have two well adjusted kids, both succesful. — Hanover

Yeah very succesful, I have no doubt, with a father like you, I can only imagine >:O >:O

The path to independence is not paved with constant hand holding. You have no comprehension of the infinite compassion a parent has for their child and the simultaneous suffering that occurs with their every struggle all with the understanding that the baby bird must flap his own wings in order to fly. — Hanover

Give me a break... just give me a break. Nobody beats their own wings. To beat their own wings would mean they aren't already chained by society. The fact that they have a job and pay their bills in NO SENSE means that they are independent. No, they are slaves, the worst part is that they probably aren't even aware of it. Having a job is the farthest thing from freedom, whether you're working as the CEO of Microsoft, or as your local grocery boy.

Trumpish. Funny insult. — Hanover

I realised that Hanover simply has no shame - this guy is unbelievable.......

If you're in Atlanta, stop on by. — Hanover

Damn, that's really nice of you. Look how nice that Hanover is...

I know, right? You can come too. In fact, I'm going to need a new roof soon, and I'd like nothing more than hearing your footsteps above me while drinking my mint julep. The insurance company rejected my claim of hail damage, instead presenting the questionable argument of "Dude, your roof is just old." So, yeah, bring your hammer and shingles and shit and swing by. It gets like 1000 degrees in the Summer on a hot roof, so the sooner the better.

My Dad stays with me (not the other way around), and most recently my fourteen year old sister now. She arrived like December, I think, maybe November, so unfortunately not a fantastic time to show up, but I'll make up for the shitty winter in the summer.

I don't want them to go, or I'd be all alone!

Immigration process would be tough for me...



http://online.seterra.com/en

And I'd expect you'd even admit to the real benefit of getting out of the rut of dependency and directionlessness when you secured a challenging job. — Hanover

Hah hah! I forgot to laugh. Securing a challenging job - let me tell you, even if someone made me CEO of Microsoft tomorrow I'd refuse.

Unbelievable that there's actually people who have a brain and actually believe there's something admirable about securing a challenging job......... :-d

Okay, sounds awesome. Since I'm a holistic roofer, I'm going to also need to visit a few tropical places in order to spiritually estimate the earth's chakra flow. You'll have to cover it, but just like all of my work, it comes with a guarantee until the first rain.

Immigration process would be tough for me... — Emptyheady

So ironic. The process is tough if you follow it, but really easy if you don't care.

Hah hah! I forgot to laugh. Securing a challenging job - let me tell you, even if someone made me CEO of Microsoft tomorrow I'd refuse.

Unbelievable that there's actually people who have a brain and actually believes there's something admirable about securing a challenging job......... — Agustino

Let's not forget that there are self made people with self made jobs that only they could do. If only Trump had it his way, then and only then would America would have been Great Again.

*cringes uncontrollably*

Let's not forget that there are self made people with self made jobs that only they could do. — Question

Yeah, I actually admire those. But the point is there's nothing great about simply having a job. It's about your creativity, learning skills that are valuable to others, developing your character. That's what matters. If someone develops their creativity and knowledge, learns valuable skills, and develops their character I don't care at all if they have a job or not.

You can play in the sprinkler and pretend you're in the Caribbean. It's sort of the same. I'll buy you a 5 pack. One's for me.

Okay, but I also get to rummage through your garbage and keep whatever I like.

Yeah, I actually admire those. — Agustino

Really? What's with the aura around these charlatans? What's so great about Microsoft or Apple? As if the CEO of GE or Lockheed Martin or 3M came up with all their own patents?

It's actually quite dehumanizing to say that certain individuals were only capable of coming up with these great companies. My conservative friend talks about 'degrees' of humans in pseudo-Nazi fashion who accomplish these great feats.

Really? What's with the aura around these charlatans? What's so great about Microsoft or Apple? As if the CEO of GE or Lockheed came up with all their own patents? — Question

No I haven't said I admire the CEOs at all. I said I admire

Let's not forget that there are self made people with self made jobs that only they could do — Question

People who make their own jobs - who contribute with their own value. This may very well not be the CEO (in fact it probably isn't - CEOs are typically dumb people) - it may be a nerd closed in his office who never goes out of there, and who has no other task except to come up with creative ideas in his own time. No one ever disturbs him or knows about him.

Entrepreneurs are more likely to be such people than CEOs for that matter, even though frequently entrepreneurs will also be CEOs - like Elon Musk. But simply being CEO isn't difficult at all. It's just a political thing really. Someone who is a slave for long enough will get it. There's nothing valuable in that.

CEOs are typically dumb people — Agustino

Yeah, you need to stop doing that. Ranking people based on your table of who is smart or not. It distorts your view of reality.

Yeah, you need to stop doing that. Ranking people based on your table of who is smart or not. It distorts your view of reality. — Question

I haven't said I rank individuals I meet on that table by virtue of them holding a certain position. I merely stated that most CEOs aren't terribly smart at all.

I haven't said I rank individuals I meet on that table by virtue of them holding a certain position. I merely stated that most CEOs aren't terribly smart at all. — Agustino

What makes you say they aren't smart? I mean technically, the most psychopathic CEO is usually the most efficient one, does that make him the smartest?

Funny you should say that. I just got a ticket for hunting over bait because I put some nice stuff out by the curb on garbage night and was shooting BBs at the poor people as they came by to scavenge. The officer thought it wasn't sporting to do it that way.

What makes you say they aren't smart? I mean technically, the most psychopathic CEO is usually the most efficient one, does that make him the smartest? — Question

Managing people in a company that already works, and has a built hirearchy and a lot of resources isn't difficult at all. Even a monkey could do it. It's building that company in the first place that is actually the hard thing. CEOs typically are people who manage bureaucracies - who have been good and obedient slaves for a long time, and who are placed there precisely because they're not dangerous - they're too dumb to be dangerous. And the structure of the company governs itself - the CEO doesn't actually make it work at all. The person who founded and started the company - or the persons - they made it work, theirs is the merit, not the CEO's.

92% of left-wing activists live with their parents and one in three is unemployed, study of Berlin protesters finds

Those weren't poor people by necessity, or ability, but were surely a horde of noble freegans, fighting the good fight against all of those isms you mentioned earlier.

I mean technically, the most psychopathic CEO is usually the most efficient one, does that make him the smartest? — Question

That's not exactly true. CEOs typically are politically manipulative - but they're only capable within an already existent structure. They're not capable of creating something themselves.

The smartest is the one who creates something and makes it work.

The person who founded and started the company - or the persons - they made it work, theirs is the merit, not the CEO's. — Agustino

You know... actually, I have some idea of how starting a company works. It takes talent in recognizing efficient means to achieve a goal, the power of persuasion, and a whole lot of lawyers to protect, promote, and fend of competition. You also need to steal a lot of ideas from competition without them noticing.

Is that really something that we should be idolizing?