Given the downvotes, I'm curious. Does anyone care to dispute the correctness of any of the 4 claims?
I'll start, that first one regarding education. Is it easy to learn now with the internet? Sure, undoubtedly true. Is that measurably better than before for any person? Probably not. Cost per semester hour at a college I went to 10 years ago, is over four times as high now.
That is just the first bullet point. I tend not to even consider the rest if the first point is so... out of touch might be the best way to phrase it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_attainment_in_the_...
0.8% of Americans over 25 are earning minimum wage.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffreydorfman/2014/01/30/almost...
That leaves 70% of American adults do not have college degrees and are earning above minimum wage. Of course, depending on how one defines things those numbers can go up and down, but it's not a stretch to say that most workers do not have college degrees and earn above minimum wage.
One last observation - starting your own business does not require a college degree. (Probably the most famous of those is Microsoft, and Microsoft has hired programmers without degrees.)
The author then has the gall to accuse others of using selective statistics to make their argument, and even throws out the 'class warfare' canard.
Similarly, that link only takes the federal wage into account - of course it's going to be abnormally low, given there are states with higher minimums. For example, Washington state has a minimum wage of $9.47/hour. A minimum wage worker in Washington won't show up in a study claiming $7.25 is the minimum wage.
Also, where do you mention 20%?
Paying off historically unprecedented student debts for recent US graduates also disproves your claim that it's never been easier to invest.
Of course it's possible that you weren't talking about formal education but, like it or not, credentials matter and employers are still more impressed by degrees from recognized institutions than they are by the fact that you've read a few Wikipedia articles.
It's important to understand the concept of dead-end jobs. Some people are stuck doing jobs like stacking shelves at Walmart, they need the money they get so they can't quit or reduce their hours to return to formal education, but they don't have a varied background of work experience or recognised skills to easily move beyond what they currently do.
FWIW, I didn't downvote you.
2. Google "how to start a business with no money".
3. Etsy, Ebay, Amazon - costs nothing or next to nothing to set up your stuff there, access to global marketplace.
4. You can start an investment program with an online brokerage account with as little as $100. Online trades are $10.00.
Are you honestly suggesting that a viable way for people to get out of poverty is to start trading stocks with a starting capital of $100?
That's the dumbest thing I've read on HN by far and no that's not a compliment if case you were wondering.
The point, though, is that it has never been easier to invest.