Ice is back, with my brand new invention
So after a hiatus, I'm back ( along with "my brand new invention").
My roommate Kelcie and I were discussing the nature of loan repayment programs and law school this evening, and something struck me that I've been worrying about that became more worrisome because she articulated this issue/fear as well.
I don't want to do firm law. (In addition: Kelcie does not want to do firm law)
The problem is that I'm not sure how, staying on the salaries you're allowed to have in non-lucrative (i.e., the jobs I want) choices, one can possibly begin to start a life until you're in your late 30s.
Assume I'm making pretty much the upper limit you're allowed to make, which is 45,000 a year(this figure is generous).
Now subtract loans, which is about 12,000 a year.
Then subtract taxes, which is about 10,000 a year
now subtract housing in an urban area (which is where such jobs as I want are mainly located), 10,000 a year
you've got 13,000 left, for EVERYTHING you might need, including all utilities, food, clothing, emergencies, and living your life.
Now granted, people live on that, and they do so all the time, but they don't live comfortably. Furthermore, the fact that that is the sad reality of doing what I'm interested in doing is a prime example of why its damn near impossible to find people to do these things. You've got to martyr yourself.
I'm sorry, but as Kelcie said, I don't want to live like a grad student until I'm 40 years old! I want to begin saving for my retirement, and what if I had/wanted to start a family? It would be damn near impossible.
The system is full of shit, it says it wants people to do these things, but it doesn't want to put people in a realistic situation where it can be expected that they will. You essentially have to want to climb up on a cross to do most of this work, or work at a big firm until you've paid down your debt and then go elsewhere.
For me, and my plans, that would mean working in big firm litigation. That is not a walk in the park, its miserable, miserable work. I've no interest in litigating stupid corporate interest shit. Granted, I recognize that that is important and needs to be done (I'm not a mindless anti-corporate whore who things "if its done by a corporation, it must be evil"), but I don't personally care about that, let someone else do it. I want to litigate things like civil rights, I want to represent people that cannot find representation. I want to fight against the bastard government intruding and violating its own citizens rights
but more and more, I'm thinking I may find myself having to do firm law for a few years, just to pay down the debt before I try to find a way to go on to something else, something more focused on what I want to be doing.
I find that unsettling.
My roommate Kelcie and I were discussing the nature of loan repayment programs and law school this evening, and something struck me that I've been worrying about that became more worrisome because she articulated this issue/fear as well.
I don't want to do firm law. (In addition: Kelcie does not want to do firm law)
The problem is that I'm not sure how, staying on the salaries you're allowed to have in non-lucrative (i.e., the jobs I want) choices, one can possibly begin to start a life until you're in your late 30s.
Assume I'm making pretty much the upper limit you're allowed to make, which is 45,000 a year(this figure is generous).
Now subtract loans, which is about 12,000 a year.
Then subtract taxes, which is about 10,000 a year
now subtract housing in an urban area (which is where such jobs as I want are mainly located), 10,000 a year
you've got 13,000 left, for EVERYTHING you might need, including all utilities, food, clothing, emergencies, and living your life.
Now granted, people live on that, and they do so all the time, but they don't live comfortably. Furthermore, the fact that that is the sad reality of doing what I'm interested in doing is a prime example of why its damn near impossible to find people to do these things. You've got to martyr yourself.
I'm sorry, but as Kelcie said, I don't want to live like a grad student until I'm 40 years old! I want to begin saving for my retirement, and what if I had/wanted to start a family? It would be damn near impossible.
The system is full of shit, it says it wants people to do these things, but it doesn't want to put people in a realistic situation where it can be expected that they will. You essentially have to want to climb up on a cross to do most of this work, or work at a big firm until you've paid down your debt and then go elsewhere.
For me, and my plans, that would mean working in big firm litigation. That is not a walk in the park, its miserable, miserable work. I've no interest in litigating stupid corporate interest shit. Granted, I recognize that that is important and needs to be done (I'm not a mindless anti-corporate whore who things "if its done by a corporation, it must be evil"), but I don't personally care about that, let someone else do it. I want to litigate things like civil rights, I want to represent people that cannot find representation. I want to fight against the bastard government intruding and violating its own citizens rights
but more and more, I'm thinking I may find myself having to do firm law for a few years, just to pay down the debt before I try to find a way to go on to something else, something more focused on what I want to be doing.
I find that unsettling.