The WTS is like any other business - trying to ascertain what their customers want and supplying that at a benefit to themselves.
Its not too much of a stretch to realise that the western world has had its day with the JW's - at best 'growth' in this region will mirror population growth/decline. Post-Christian society spreading from Europe outwards, the Internet, the negative correlation between advanced education and belief in God all contribute to this pattern amongst western nations.
So the WTS focus is sure to be on high growth southern hemisphere regions, namely Central and Latin America and Africa. Economically and culturally and socially many of these nations are where the West was 50 years ago. And therefore susceptible to the same stock in trade tools of a cult - endtimes prophecy, black and white thinking, them and us mentality, good v evil etc.
And what better personification of evil than 'worldly wisdom, sophisticated ideas, smooth reasonings' found in a college education. Far better to make busy in the Lords work as this system nears it end. Bear in mind that these nations have been getting f*cked by 'the system' for many centuries now and another reason to reject conventional wisdom will sit easily with them.
In the West a college education is viewed by many as a basic level starting point - the WTS were correct when they quoted - ...out of .....context...of course..... - that a college education does not guarantee anything in todays job market. Agreed. But the lack of a degree does guarantee that you will be really up against it. Also a degree is a reasonably realistic aspiration for most kids in school.
On the other hand for the WTS target audience in the developing countries a degree is not realistic in any case - their best chance of power and prestige is on a plate for them elsewhere - yep you guessed it - toe the WTS line and rise through the ranks from the Awake! University on through to the MTSchool and maybe even Gilead - now what more could you want from a career path?
So fundamentally in these nations the WTS is banning something that isn't available - fantastic. Great move. Convince the sheeple they are all individuals - "Yes, we are all individuals" they say in unison.
How many janitor elders do you know that derive every last drop of significance they have from the fact they can counsel another brother about something that bugs them personally? Its their one and only route to being in charge, of something, anything, anybody, so long as they are in charge. So from a WTS perspective demonizing an unattainable objective is a classic cult technique as it creates a shared enemy and therefore the sort of unanimity they require. Masterful. Remove the means to thinking and self-awareness and replace it with a WTS set of goals and objectives - the creation of an army of flesh and blood robots no less.
We in the West, on the other hand, have heard that tune before and are immunized, to some extent.
Yes it will create fallout here in the West, but consider the effect on the 2/3rds of the global population yet to make a phonecall.
