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Comment by pydry | Hacker News Reader

Every systemic problem that the oligarchs of a capitalist system dont want to fix the sensible way eventually gets framed as a problem of personal responsibility.

* When the first cars started killing people -> make jaywalking a crime.

* When people take on too much credit card debt -> obviously a problem with financial literacy

* When large companies destroy the environment -> if people just recycled more we could save the planet...

* You're broke in 1990 -> why didnt you get a degree?

* you're broke in 2000 with a degree -> why didnt you get a STEM degree?

* you're broke in 2010 with a STEM degree -> why didnt you get a compsci degree?

* You're broke in 2020 with a compsci degree -> tsk you should have done something useful like machine learning.

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The answer all along was to invest in index funds starting from age 5.

According to the default propaganda model of our society the solution is hard work and taking personal responsibility.

According to the investment/FIRE communities and Thomas Piketty's study, yea, you're better off siphoning off taking the fruits of others' work via "the magic of compounding".

> According to the default propaganda model of our society the solution is hard work and taking personal responsibility.

Well blaming others for your problems and leeching off society for income isn’t going to get you very far.

If you have a trust fund you'll do just fine.

Yes (and very good comment), but will it still be the answer in 2050?

Basically, these things look anti-inductive.

Don't forget the:

* Global warming -> Stop using your car and planes

* Plastics everywhere -> Just stop using plastic straws and bags, that will fix it!

This only actually twigged for me when I worked for a large company that was pretty horrible for the environment that kept pushing this canard about everybody doing their bit with recycling.

...i know, i know right... why didnt I just take personal responsibility and not take a job at a horrible company that pollutes? Thats how I could do my bit.

Being an environmentalist 5th column is probably the way to go, actually.

The plastic straw thing blew my mind. I’m convinced it was a viral marketing ploy by the paper industry. That’s pretty far into conspiracy territory but it makes more sense than the saving the turtles story.

> * You're broke in 1990 -> why didnt you get a degree?

> * you're broke in 2000 with a degree -> why didnt you get a STEM degree?

> * you're broke in 2010 with a STEM degree -> why didnt you get a compsci degree?

> * You're broke in 2020 with a compsci degree -> tsk you should have done something useful like machine learning.

LOL. I like it. reads a bit like "First they came for the..."

As a "not broke yet" (by British standards) computer scientist, having jumped all these hoops and many more, I'm just wondering what the next ominous step is?

I fear this ends like:

You're broke in 2048 with a CS degree, PhD in DSP and a successful research career in signals and systems - because you didn't throw all human values to the wind and join a cabal of psychopathic technical elites hell-bent of subverting the entirety of science and technology to an infantile, omnipotent project of world-domination that ultimately added no value, screwed the entire planet and human race.

(and for those also with PhDs in ML/DSP smugly working for the Empire, and thinking "I'm safe", your turn comes when abject obedience is insufficient to save you from the sinking ship)

Amen. Personal responsibility is the economic analogue of "thoughts and prayers" whenever a shooting occurs. (Note: conservatives don't actually even pray for anyone, because they're the Elect, and since they're already going to heaven while the rest of us fall into eternal hellfire, why bother?) Except: here it is on us to pray--to them. They won't listen. They'll just laugh.

Also:

* You're broke in 2030 with a machine learning degree -> you should have been born a robot.

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