To think that nothing is exclusive anymore?

[PedantPending]

Just that.
Everyone can have everything.
Even people who cannot afford it, can have everything.
Why did I spend the last 40 years working really hard in my profession to end up with nothing special, not just materially, but intellectually?
Any idiot can Google, I used to have to "learn" stuff.
Any idiot can Google, I can actually "do" stuff, consistently.
Deflated and defeated this evening.

I think it depends what you go on to, Trout. It's not my DD doing law. However as I understand it pupil barristers work for pretty much nothing but solicitors start to earn straight away. I may be wrong. However that's not really relevant as MrsDeVere was saying it wasn't possible for her kids to do medicine because of the cost of University. That is plainly not true..

What is your field, OP? I am a teacher and I wish the families I serve would find out more about why they're doing what they're doing, how it works in context and generally be more enquiring.

As the daughter of a cancer patient, I have been bang up to date with the lines of treatment available - or not - to my mum. I check my sources. I'm aware of my limitations. I have been disappointed to find that clinicians are not as informed as I am on the legislative limitations and developments on treatments that have been wrongly promised to or withheld from my mum. Keeping myself rigorously informed means that I have been able to challenge and hopefully make changes to health policy where I live.

I take an interest in employment and housing law too, for different reasons.

I think Google, used judiciously, is a wonderful, wonderful thing. It has made information accessible and it means the general public can no longer be fobbed off by the holders of 'intellect', as you put it.

After a Law degree you have to do an LPC to become a solicitor or BVC to become a barrister. It's a year long course and extortionately expensive and a student loan doesn't cover it, you're expected to risk getting a bank loan.

I'm a scientist. My job is to generate new information.

I know things that nobody else in the world knows

Periodically, I tell the world these things. Then you can Google it to your heart's content.

oops sorry for the double post.

Not RTFT OP, but don't feel so down hearted. Any fule can Google, but it's how to apply knowledge that counts. My professional work is something pretty basic that almost everyone should be able to learn but they can't. They know in theory, they just fall down in practise, so they pay me to teach them or to do it for them. That's something I've worked hard at and studied and practised for decades and I am very proud to know how to apply in practise what most people can only half work out in theory.

I didn't mean people can't learn it, I meant people can't be bothered to learn it. It bores them rigid and it fascinates me. So I get paid very well to sort it out.

JenniferYellowHat I love your name. Have you seen Roger recently?

I volunteer for CAB and every day people call desperate for advice, information that they could "just Google" they are hopeless, or confused, stressed out, in crisis, or simply without access to the internet. I don't believe everyone can have everything, but many think they should have everything, which leads to dissatisfaction, debt etc.

0p you sound in the throes of a mid life existential crisis, what is the point, why am I here, why am I so dissatisfied?

I'm sorry you're feeling low, and I hope today is better.

I can't support you feeling sad at others having more or as such as you, materially or intellectually. That is a strange and unfair point of view.

Maybe i'm projecting, but I think that the op has experienced someone at work being promoted that she doesn't feel deserves it?

I work for a bank. A couple of years ago I applied for a very popular, high profile promotion advertised as a graduate opportunity, with a fairly high degree level needed. And a huge pay jump.

I knew when I read the ad that I could do the job standing on my head. So I researched and made contacts and put together not just an application but a full proposal for the role, and how I viewed it and what value I could add etc. I spent bloody days on it.

I got an interview, then got the job . The highest qualification I have is A Levels so I didn't meet the basic qualification criteria of degree-level educated, just had a fuck load of experience and the cheek to apply.

I pissed a lot of people off. Which I couldn't really give two fucks about tbh. If you don't ask, you don't get.

On the sauce last night were you, op ?

OP, I really hope you will come back and expand on this.

I have an ulterior motive for that - I have just turned 40 and having an internal debate with myself about whether I need to achieve more, career wise, for personal satisfaction, or ....well, frankly, if I can be arsed. So I'm interested in what you might be saying....though I am not sure about the ££ bit, if I knew how to make £50 into £5000 I wouldn't be asking you to clarify what you had said. Actually I wouldn't be in the UK on this grey miserable day so I guess I wouldn't be on MN at this moment either!!

SummerNights - that's a great story. Really glad you got the job and that you have the confidence to ignore bitterness from others.

I haven't seen Roger in years - long story

the though of my children owing 70k before they are out of their mid twenties is horrifying

Is that any different to having a mortgage? And at least with a student loan they only have to pay it back if they earn over a certain level.