It’s an illusion either way. Public schools are funded by property taxes. property taxes are based on the home’s worth. So you see how this snowballs.

The parents, apparently.

why is there not an expectation that coursework should be interesting and compelling for students?

As you said, you had the executive function of a teenage boy. The works still get taught because they are interesting and relevant. but it’s hard to see that as a kid, as you’re developing vocabulary and literacy and also lacking life experiences to relate.

Schools try to compromise by giving a list of choices and letting students choose from those on what is most interesting. But curriculums only flex so much.

At least In the US, that is very much not true.

https://usafacts.org/articles/is-military-enlistment-down/

It decreases overall, but you can definitely trace spikes in applicants with economic slumps. COVID is probably the big exception, for obvious reasons.

The poor are actually underrepresented in the USian military.

That’s why I focused on applications to military. They don’t let everyone in, and it’s well that many of the lower income applicants get passed up because they can’t pass the tests.

Another family example: my cousin was passed up because he had tattoos. They have been more lenient on such policies this decade, though.

you are not forced to join the USian military.

If “respond to the draft or get arrested” is your interpretation of choice, then you are technically correct. But most societies would not call that freedom of choice.

We’re using “volunteer” very strongly in a society where we need to work to live.

Put it this way: military recruitment is almost always inversely proportional to the economic wellbeing. I. E. When the economy sucks and people can’t find jobs, that’s when you often get the highest amount of recruits.

That’s not even going into systematic issues that can lead to that; my mom was in ROTC to pay off her college and my uncles went in when my grandpa kicked them out of the house, almost as soon as they graduated high school.

But yes, back on point: yes, at any point you can be told you are going to be drafted. Just becsuse it’s not this specific boat doesn’t mean it won’t ever happen.

Every US male who turns 18 “volunteers” to be eligible to “volunteer” to die overseas for the Epstein class.

I also don’t know why everyone is surprised by wartime food.

https://xkcd.com/1053/

That’s why awareness needs to be constant. It’s why coke spends a billion a year on advertising despite “everyone knows what coca cola is”.

Haven’t done it in years, but that’s “impromptu weekend getaway with the boys” level of celebration for me.

There’s always a few people in speed limit conversations outing themselves. Do they lack the concept of riding on your breaks? How do they navigate a parking lot where you’re very likely limited to 15kph?

These little things add up and make you realize that that ol statistic of “California spends 100k/year per homeless person combating homelessness” hold weight. They’d rather spend on services and police to do this stuff than address the underlying issue.

The cruelty is the point. They’ll say a homeless person doesn’t deserve a fee hundred bucks a month to get back on their feet, but they’ll spend 100 grand a year per person to make them more miserable. It’s just good job security (and satisfaction) for the police unions.

Part of that is the power of government subsidized high fructose corn syrup, yeah. It’s in a lot of American food and makes a huge difference in pricing healthy vs highly processed foods.

Your lack of conviction disgusts me

I think you jumped the gun when you tried to compare this to losing elections. You kinda lost your ground to be sarcastic about how you’re responding to some dude making a hot take.

If we only drink soda, 45 gallons sounds disastrously small. Since we’re supposed to drink at least 64 Oz of water a day (or a gallon). We can’t possibly be that dehydrated.

Ehh, it’s still liquid at the end of the day. We going to call beef a luxury because chicken or tofu has more nutritional value (I do not know if this is true. This is just a random theoretical).

You’re not wrong. But by that logic water based products would be cheaper. Which it sadly isn’t. Often the contrary.

The US very rarely uses price to incentivize good practices and vice versa.

For a 12 oz/300ml? Yeah, that gets into crazy territory.

But we’re in crazy land right now. My local Walmart? 8.50 for a 12 pack. 70 cents a can, so not full loony. But a far cry from this picture a decade ago with under 20 cents a can.

Education can’t fix apathy. I don’t know what can, to be honest. Community, perhaps.