SOCS-325 Week 3 Activity – Applying Theories | GRADED A

Treadmills of Production & Consumption SOCS325 DeVry University Education Treadmills of Production & Consumption Since most of us were young we have always been told that education is a top p riority, & that without it we will be working at the local fast food place with no real job. At least that’s what my mother told me. Education has pressured students that they will be less likely to succeed in life unless they can pursue a higher education, such as a degree. The reality is that there are so many students pursuing a degree & not receiving what is considered a good paying job. In theory, the idea is to produce students with degrees to promote expansion of the education system & maintain a continuous process of production. This shows financial supporters a degree program that is sought out by many intended students in order to normalize it, therefore providing a mass amount of students who want to pursue a degree, keeping the process continuously moving. There is a statistic that is commonly used by parents, insurance companies to promote purchasing of college loan programs, & universities to justify the increase of tuition in schools. “According to the College Board, college graduates earn 80 percent more on average than high school graduates. Over the course of your child’s life, the difference in earning potential between a high school graduate & a college graduate is more than $1 million” (Schnieder, 2009, p.2). This was an advertisement from State Farm quoting the statistic. The problem with this is, although employers look for those with a higher education but no skill to bring to the table, they are also looking to degree holders to start an advanced degree. This may create a profit for the education institutions who influence companies to give those with a higher education an opportunity, butit creates waste & an environmental issue by not giving others a chance at employment, ultimately causing unemployment. There is an illusion that a higher education will land a better job, but at what price? Tuition fees are not inexpensive & most students after graduating, end up paying approximately 27 thousand in college debt for a four-year degree (DOE, 2015).Having a good paying job may feel a bit contradictory, if the money being made from ones job is predominantly paying off student debts that are astronomically high, for the next 20 years with interest. If a person’s earnings are primarily used to pay off student debt, there is no opportunity for any economic advancement & they are only working toward self-preservation. In other words, they become slaves to their debtors. With technology increasing from year to year & our culture embracing the fact that we must have the next best thing, it’s only evident what entails a good paying job. People want the expensive taste in life such as the shiny new car, the expensive cell phone or gadget, & taking trips to new places. A good paying job is one that will provide a luxurious lifestyle & allow one to partake of the finer things in life. Profit in the industry is the primary driver in order to produce, but in order to produce one must also consume, & you can bet there will be wasted materials during the consuming phase. It takes an advanced education in order to get a good paying job & achieve the lifestyle that many dream of, but it also takes hard work & determination to achieve that job. When you get a chance to rest, only then can you enjoy those beautiful things, but until that time comes continue to work, like there is no end in sight. Our minds are on overdrive to provide for our families in addition to all the things we think we need, but we know we want. When the DVD player breaks & it costs more to fix it but it’s cheaper to purchase a new one, we produce waste through means of the production treadmill. In order to have the best, we must purchase more & more goods to enhance our lifestyle, but must further our education to obtain an advanced degree for a good paying job in order to afford all those things. The cycle is endless. References Schnieder, M. (2009). How much is that bachelor’s degree really worth? The million dollar misunderstanding.American Enterprise Institute.Retrieved from: