Student Protest

[II2]

- A mindset that Rage Against the Machine was/is cool.

Rage Against the Machine was never cool, ever, under any context.

On topic, I'm glad nobody was seriously injured over a very troublesome, but ultimately petty issue.

 

[photog212]

9000 pounds a year? at the current exchange rate between the USD and BPS that totals to $14,553.80 I pay the equivalent of 13,900.20 British pounds PER SEMESTER. Thats 27,800.40 per year in British pounds.

And last i checked the consensus is that the quality of higher education in the UK is better than here in the US. Still think you guys are getting a raw deal?

I thought the same thing. We're getting boned.

 

[photog212]

do you think peaceful protests are effective?

Ask Ghandi.

And Martin Luther King Jr.

 

[VuvuZelaMan]

do you think peaceful protests are effective?

Ask Ghandi.

And Martin Luther King Jr.

Do strikes count as peaceful? If so, also ask union leaders.

 

[photog212]

do you think peaceful protests are effective?

Ask Ghandi.

And Martin Luther King Jr.

Do strikes count as peaceful? If so, also ask union leaders.

Depends on which on. Some got pretty heated.

 

[justnotcricket]

Aren't we meant to have a right to a free education?

Wouldn't that be nice? Unfortunately, universities are supposed to be research institutions, not teaching facilities (I know, it sounds odd, but the reality is that these days more an more people are going to university for just an undergraduate degree. This is great, but it's not technically all, or even most of what universities are supposed to be there for - they're there to manufacture graduate students like me, the indentured slaves of academia =S...)

The problem is that research is cripplingly expensive, especially in medicine, science and engineering, where pushing the frontiers of the discipline costs millions and millions and millions of dollars. Additionally, while a subject like, say, English literature may not generate much revenue in the form of patents or industry collaboration, the university still needs to support the discipline by paying the professors, purchasing, for example, library and media resources, and financing visiting scholars. All this money has to come from somewhere.

Unfortunately, governments are notorious for cutting funding for research, because a lot of university research is 'blue skies', which means it may not provide any return to the investor. When the government cuts funding, the universities are left at the mercy of external funding agencies, which can and will only fund certain kinds of research, sometimes, for a certain amount. And only a small percentage of applying researchers will get a grant each year.

What's the easy solution? Increase student fees. It's the easiest way to keep the university coffers full, and the university gets to tell you that you're paying more to attend a better, more prestigious (read: more research heavy) university.

Let me just say that I in no way like or support fee increases. I think student loans are the most ridiculous burden you can place on a young person financially, and I do support *peaceful* opposition to fee increases.

I will also add, however, that I understand why universities do what they do, when the government turns its back (as it so often does) on education and development.

 

[DirgeNovak]

I mean as far as i know no ones been hurt and the most violent thing i saw was window smashing and its gotten the nations attention, unlike every other "peaceful" protest so maybe something will now be done.
[...]
p.s just to state its important to remember there have been no serious injuries, obviously very violent protests are always wrong

Breaking stuff to voice your protest is wrong, period. If there was vandalism, it wasn't a "peaceful" protest. Your there have been no serious injuries argument is totally retarded.

 

[Danny Ocean]

Why should you be rewarded and pay less for your education just because you picked an unmarketable degree?

I would think we would want to encourage people to take degrees that would get them a job, not the other way around.

Rewarded? You think that's how I'll see it?

Perhaps that IS how it should be. If I pick a degree that gives me poor job prospects, why should I have to pay as much as the chemical engineer who goes on to earn millions, while I'm stuck teaching others because I chose to do a course that I enjoyed rather than what was profitable? Why stifle academia like that? Surely I should be compensated?

And before you say that you shouldn't be compensated for a concious decision: People are compensated for concious decisions all the time. The compensation isn't always monetary, but it's there.

Proportionally: am I not paying the same amount, anyway?

Also, should we direct all education just to getting jobs? Should we neglect the humanities like English and Art and other such unprofitable subjects? Should we just focus on the sure fire sciences, maths, and business degrees?

 

[Legendsmith]

I think you will all find this video very interesting.

I had no idea about these protests. Now that I do, I'd say I support them.
Everyone should have the right to a good education, not just those who can afford it.
Though most of the time non-violent protest is more effective.

I agree. But I think that a good education is hard to get even if you have the money. (Watch that youtube video).

 

[DrCalgori]

That's bullshit. How the fuck am I supposed to pay off £9000? I'm not surprised they rioted. Hell, I would have done the same, regardless of whether or not it's violent.

The same way foreigners have been doing it, get a godamn job part time and pay off the stupidly large loan you'd have to take in the first place. That, or work and save up before you go to uni. Don't forget, international uni fee's are 10K a year already and for people that don't earn british pounds its a ridiculous amount. It (as always) favours the rich and brackets out the poorer countries.

 

[Vanguard_Ex]

Oh joy, I cannot wait...especially studying Journalism so I'm not getting away from it.

I'm not sure, what did it say? Might jog my memory

"Can't afford to waste talent."

It was fucking heavy.

Hmm I'm afraid that doesn't really ring a bell, sorry man...good to see another Escapist that stands up though. *Salute*

 

[Chechosaurus]

Take a look through history and you'll be astounded by how many revolutions begin with student demonstrations like this one. I don't hold out much hope though seeming as my generation is pretty shit but I like to dream. I'm all for it and the more fire extinguishers thrown out of windows onto cars the better.

Yeah, like a massive revolution would be started by a bunch of idiots being pissed about raised tuitions...

Look at the Hungarian Uprising 1956. That all began when students protested about changes to their curriculum and ended with a second Soviet invasion.

How about the fire extinguisher thrown onto the police officers from the roof?

And I repeat my self: The more fire extinguishers thrown out of windows onto cars the better.

Until it's your car, obviously. And why do we, of all the fat, complacent people, need a revolution? I can think of a hundred countries that need a revolution, Britain is not one.

It's a small price to pay for a revolution. Also, just because were are complacent doesn't mean we don't need a revolution. Our country may not be the worst but we do put up with far too much shit. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer and our "Democratically" elected government seems determined to dick all over the working and middle classes. Sure, they say it is for practical reasons but it's all ingrained in their ideology and is doomed to fail, sending us further down the drain. Cutting 25% from every public sector is not the only way to reduce our deficit but the Tories don't believe in public ownership and they just want to privatise everything. The political parties we have to choose from are Labour (They haven't represented the working class since 1979). The Liberal Democrats (Sell outs and liars). And the Conservatives (Archaic and imperialistic). What is it about our country that DOESN'T need to change? As we slide down into the big brother state that is forming around us and the bourgeois government speaks about the 'deserving poor' whilst desperately trying to keep everyone who didn't go to a private school out of university. It is actions like those of the students that show the government that they should not be so complacent and that they can't just screw everyone over. If all it achieved was that, then I salute them because at least they did something. Everyone else just stood by and watched (including myself) rather than taking action for something that we believe in and for that, we should all be ashamed. Every country in the modern world could do with some sort of radical change for the better.

 

[DSK-]

That's bullshit. How the fuck am I supposed to pay off £9000? I'm not surprised they rioted. Hell, I would have done the same, regardless of whether or not it's violent.

The same way foreigners have been doing it, get a godamn job part time and pay off the stupidly large loan you'd have to take in the first place. That, or work and save up before you go to uni. Don't forget, international uni fee's are 10K a year already and for people that don't earn british pounds its a ridiculous amount. It (as always) favours the rich and brackets out the poorer countries.

I've already been to uni and am going back in January (if I can get my tuition fee loan). I currently work part-time, and have done in the same job for the past 4 years during college and the last 2 years at university.

I already owe something around the wrong side of £12,000 for the 2 years of uni I have already done. I really don't like oweing money to anybody.

To be honest your reply was rather irksome, however I do understand your point in regards to foreigners wanting to study here.

 

[SmokingMirrors]

I'd notice the british governments attitude as of late has become quite cold toward its populace, or is that just me? Forced labor for the unemployed, increased costs for higher education..

But onto the matter at hand; I can't say if this were to neccesarily be good or bad just yet though I doubt britains politicians would take such measures if they didn't believe it to serve some purpose and eventually benefit the monarchy.

Regardless the students have the right to protest, but their violent behavior isn't exactly going to help their cause in the eyes of those who are for the change and / or those who have as of yet remained neutral in the matter.

 

[bfgmetalhead]

to be honest I think the increases in fees is a HUDGE mistake and also the torys don't give a damb about the non-rich "excuse me david but there seems to be a 50,000 strong protest outside" david:"meh" the 'violence' is justifed as the goverment is being bias and toying with peoples future's, also peacefull protest is great but rarely does anything it usually ends in three ways

1.ignored and forgotten 2.shut down by an oppressing government
3.get minor attention and causes a slight change if your lucky

 

[Bobic]

How about the fire extinguisher thrown onto the police officers from the roof?

And I repeat my self: The more fire extinguishers thrown out of windows onto cars the better.

Police officers aren't cars.