I Definitely Do NOT Recommend Law School Forum

[hiromoto45]

.

[truffleshuffle]

One thing I find about the "Do Not Go to Law School" crowd is that they rarely even attempt to suggest an alternative option for people who want an interesting job that takes some brains. What I've found is that basically most professional schools/endeavors have a strong "DO NOT GO" contingent.

There's a huge "Do Not Get a Ph.D" bunch who gripe about the years it took to complete their dissertation, only to have to scrap and beg for the elusive opportunity of an adjunct position at a community college.

There's a huge "Do Not Get a Teaching Degree" lot who bring up indebted states cutting back jobs at overcrowded schools. And whereas JD's bitterly complain about a getting 30/40K -- for teachers, that's par for the course.

Going to journalism school -- if you think the job prospects of law school are ethereal, forget about it. Free electronic media has pwned print/pay media to the poorhouse.

How about business school and a nice MBA? Didn't think so. Wall Street firms literally toss business school kids out with yesterday's trash.

MD's, like JD's, endlessly whine about student loan debt, but have the added burden of insurance premiums and malpractice suits. I remember a while back hearing Sen. Tom Coburn reflecting on the medical practice, gravely musing about how he would tell his kids not to go to medical school.

How about aviation school? Anyone hear Captain Sullenberger testifying before Congress about the dismal state of the airline industry? The two-job, 7-day-a-week work schedules just to make ends meet? About how he's making half of what he once made?

There are a lot of grim "meat-hook" realities in the world (in Hunter S. Thompson vein) and they're pretty much everywhere you turn. In my opinion, the challenges facing law students are hardly unique, or necessarily more daunting.

How about Prison?
Three meals a day
Bed to sleep on
Great view
No Taxes
All the free time in the world.

[KibblesAndVick]

Should cigarettes be taxed at the level that produces maximum revenue, or should they be taxed at a super high level that does more to discourage smoking?!?!?! What a debate this will be!

People who smoke cost less to the heath care system over the course of their lifetime because they have a nasty habit of dying young. Now that we're getting universal health care the profit maximization question becomes more complicated. Keeping taxes low reduces revenue but also lowers heath care costs.

[Rock Chalk]

People who smoke cost less to the heath care system over the course of their lifetime because they have a nasty habit of dying young.

Really? I'd assume they were a burden since their chances of developing just about EVERY adverse health condition are greater. Hence higher taxes to offset the burden.

[balzern]

--ImageRemoved--

[Ty Webb]

SC cigarette taxes do two things:

1) Actively promote lung cancer/support lung doctors everywhere

2) Handcuff an almost criminally underwhelming state populous by not taking free money that could be used to improve schools for the hicks who choose to live here (and by here, I mean any place that isn't Greenville, Lake Murray, or the area between Beaufort and Garden City Beach).

It's ok to allow an addicting substance that causes lung cancer to be sold, but its wrong to not tax it?

Exactly. Tax the shit out of it. Then there's a chance that more than 1 out of every 10 people you meet on the street will have all of their teeth AND be able to correctly use the language.

[sumus romani]

People who smoke cost less to the heath care system over the course of their lifetime because they have a nasty habit of dying young.

Really? I'd assume they were a burden since their chances of developing just about EVERY adverse health condition are greater. Hence higher taxes to offset the burden.

No, I think that the point is that most people die of catastrophically expensive medical problems or no medical costs whatsoever, but those who smoke typically die younger.

[hiromoto45]

Who the fuck cares?

Let me expand on that.

There are people throughout the world being raped, murdered, starving, as well as suffering through numerous other sensationalistic things. None of them give a shit if you hate your 50k a year job. They also don't give a shit if you are stuck with 100k debt because you made a decision that turned out badly. Suck it up, work hard, pay back debt, life goes on. Tons of people are in debt. Tons of people work jobs they hate for shit money, minimum wage, and are dissatisfied.

This whole upper class life narrative control thing that dominates the world view of people on this forum can swallow up people who are just trying to make an informed decision, but we have to try and pull ourselves back from drifting away into complete lunacy. Life is hard, stop being fucking babies.

+1.

[EnriqueL]

One thing I find about the "Do Not Go to Law School" crowd is that they rarely even attempt to suggest an alternative option for people who want an interesting job that takes some brains. What I've found is that basically most professional schools/endeavors have a strong "DO NOT GO" contingent.

There's a huge "Do Not Get a Ph.D" bunch who gripe about the years it took to complete their dissertation, only to have to scrap and beg for the elusive opportunity of an adjunct position at a community college.

There's a huge "Do Not Get a Teaching Degree" lot who bring up indebted states cutting back jobs at overcrowded schools. And whereas JD's bitterly complain about a getting 30/40K -- for teachers, that's par for the course.

Going to journalism school -- if you think the job prospects of law school are ethereal, forget about it. Free electronic media has pwned print/pay media to the poorhouse.

How about business school and a nice MBA? Didn't think so. Wall Street firms literally toss business school kids out with yesterday's trash.

MD's, like JD's, endlessly whine about student loan debt, but have the added burden of insurance premiums and malpractice suits. I remember a while back hearing Sen. Tom Coburn reflecting on the medical practice, gravely musing about how he would tell his kids not to go to medical school.

How about aviation school? Anyone hear Captain Sullenberger testifying before Congress about the dismal state of the airline industry? The two-job, 7-day-a-week work schedules just to make ends meet? About how he's making half of what he once made?

There are a lot of grim "meat-hook" realities in the world (in Hunter S. Thompson vein) and they're pretty much everywhere you turn. In my opinion, the challenges facing law students are hardly unique, or necessarily more daunting.

Be happy where you are. It could be worse. I don't know enough about the other professions to offer my advice; but law is in a uniquely terrible situation. You can research it yourself.

If you are going to law school, you're probably on the path to wrecking your life. It's that simple. It's not the same thing with an MD, though they do work just as hard and take on just as much debt.

[KibblesAndVick]

People who smoke cost less to the heath care system over the course of their lifetime because they have a nasty habit of dying young.

Really? I'd assume they were a burden since their chances of developing just about EVERY adverse health condition are greater. Hence higher taxes to offset the burden.

Well they get sick and die but they do is quickly. People who live to be 100 are the real fuckers. They have to see doctors, get prescribed all kinds of pills, they have expensive surgeries, all of this for 100 years for Christsake.

If I told you had to take care of your Grandma until she dies do you think it would cost less if she got cancer and kicked the bucket in 3 years or if she lived for another 30 under your roof. Give her a pack of Marlboros and let the party begin.

[truffleshuffle]

Should cigarettes be taxed at the level that produces maximum revenue, or should they be taxed at a super high level that does more to discourage smoking?!?!?! What a debate this will be!

I think the government tries to find a a delicate balance that allows them to encourage smoking to the point that people still get hooked and keeps them hooked, while then taxing the shit out of those people to gain revenue.

[Ty Webb]

One thing I find about the "Do Not Go to Law School" crowd is that they rarely even attempt to suggest an alternative option for people who want an interesting job that takes some brains. What I've found is that basically most professional schools/endeavors have a strong "DO NOT GO" contingent.

There's a huge "Do Not Get a Ph.D" bunch who gripe about the years it took to complete their dissertation, only to have to scrap and beg for the elusive opportunity of an adjunct position at a community college.

There's a huge "Do Not Get a Teaching Degree" lot who bring up indebted states cutting back jobs at overcrowded schools. And whereas JD's bitterly complain about a getting 30/40K -- for teachers, that's par for the course.

Going to journalism school -- if you think the job prospects of law school are ethereal, forget about it. Free electronic media has pwned print/pay media to the poorhouse.

How about business school and a nice MBA? Didn't think so. Wall Street firms literally toss business school kids out with yesterday's trash.

MD's, like JD's, endlessly whine about student loan debt, but have the added burden of insurance premiums and malpractice suits. I remember a while back hearing Sen. Tom Coburn reflecting on the medical practice, gravely musing about how he would tell his kids not to go to medical school.

How about aviation school? Anyone hear Captain Sullenberger testifying before Congress about the dismal state of the airline industry? The two-job, 7-day-a-week work schedules just to make ends meet? About how he's making half of what he once made?

There are a lot of grim "meat-hook" realities in the world (in Hunter S. Thompson vein) and they're pretty much everywhere you turn. In my opinion, the challenges facing law students are hardly unique, or necessarily more daunting.

Be happy where you are. It could be worse. I don't know enough about the other professions to offer my advice; but law is in a uniquely terrible situation. You can research it yourself.

If you are going to law school, you're probably on the path to wrecking your life. It's that simple. It's not the same thing with an MD, though they do work just as hard and take on just as much debt.

[KMaine]

but law is in a uniquely terrible situation.

You are stupid.

[sumus romani]

Should cigarettes be taxed at the level that produces maximum revenue, or should they be taxed at a super high level that does more to discourage smoking?!?!?! What a debate this will be!

I think the government tries to find a a delicate balance that allows them to encourage smoking to the point that people still get hooked and keeps them hooked, while then taxing the shit out of those people to gain revenue.

The key, of course, is marketing to children FTW

[Jack Smirks]

Should cigarettes be taxed at the level that produces maximum revenue, or should they be taxed at a super high level that does more to discourage smoking?!?!?! What a debate this will be!

Tobacco has become the scapegoat for politicians to gain revenue with the least amount of complaints. End of life care is expensive and unfortunately (or fortunately) none of us get out of here alive. If you do the math, a smoker dies younger and costs the government the least amount of money because they are not likely to collect the ssi, medicare, etc. as a normal healthy person would that lives well into their 80's. Instead of taxing smokers more, the government should be thanking them.

[EnriqueL]

but law is in a uniquely terrible situation.

You are stupid.

What was your LSAT score?

[Rock Chalk]

People who smoke cost less to the heath care system over the course of their lifetime because they have a nasty habit of dying young.

Really? I'd assume they were a burden since their chances of developing just about EVERY adverse health condition are greater. Hence higher taxes to offset the burden.

Well they get sick and die but they do is quickly. People who live to be 100 are the real fuckers. They have to see doctors, get prescribed all kinds of pills, they have expensive surgeries, all of this for 100 years for Christsake.

If I told you had to take care of your Grandma until she dies do you think it would cost less if she got cancer and kicked the bucket in 3 years or if she lived for another 30 under your roof. Give her a pack of Marlboros and let the party begin.

Well "take care of her" and "pay her medical bills" are completely different scenarios. I get that they die younger, I just thought it was generally after a bunch of expensive treatments that the average person, even if they live into their 80's, won't need. I admit that I don't have any actual information though, and I can easily see it being the way you describe.

Regarding Waterman's question, I agree with Ty Webb. "Tax the shit out of it."

[KibblesAndVick]

The key, of course, is marketing to children FTW

[truffleshuffle]

Exactly. Tax the shit out of it. Then there's a chance that more than 1 out of every 10 people you meet on the street will have all of their teeth AND be able to correctly use the language.

How does smoking affect somebody's use of language?

[Ty Webb]

but law is in a uniquely terrible situation.

You are stupid.

What was your LSAT score?

You're going to fail the bar. It's going to be an awesomely embarrassing and painful experience for you.

[Ty Webb]

Exactly. Tax the shit out of it. Then there's a chance that more than 1 out of every 10 people you meet on the street will have all of their teeth AND be able to correctly use the language.

How does smoking affect somebody's use of language?

I was speaking to the pathetic state of the state's educational system. And its dire need for additional funding.

[thecilent]

but law is in a uniquely terrible situation.

You are stupid.

What was your LSAT score?

lolzzz

[truffleshuffle]

The key, of course, is marketing to children FTW

There was a thing in Mad Magazine that went:

It's wrong for the neighborhood drug dealer to give out free samples and get the kids hooked, but it's ok for Disney to air its programming free for a week and get the kids to demand their parents pay for it.

[Rock Chalk]

Should cigarettes be taxed at the level that produces maximum revenue, or should they be taxed at a super high level that does more to discourage smoking?!?!?! What a debate this will be!

Tobacco has become the scapegoat for politicians to gain revenue with the least amount of complaints. End of life care is expensive and unfortunately (or fortunately) none of us get out of here alive. If you do the math, a smoker dies younger and costs the government the least amount of money because they are not likely to collect the ssi, medicare, etc. as a normal healthy person would that lives well into their 80's. Instead of taxing smokers more, the government should be thanking them.

But it's still a toxic substance. If they're going to allow cigarettes to be sold, I'd rather them prioritize with taxation in a way that resembles harmful --> unnecessary --> other things. Wouldn't you? I don't smoke, but I do drink and I completely understand higher taxes on alcohol than bread.

[EnriqueL]

but law is in a uniquely terrible situation.

You are stupid.

What was your LSAT score?

You're going to fail the bar. It's going to be an awesomely embarrassing and painful experience for you.

May I ask why you're so angry? If you don't like my arguments, either beat them or go elsewhere.