You guys might want to watch the generalizations being tossed around as a factual consensus. That's not to say that some of the bleak scenarios posted in this thread don't exist, but just how rampant and extensive is subject to personal experience. I'm thinking right now of the congregations that I've belonged to and when it comes to the older dubs, most likely would not have attended college even if the WT's tentacles hadn't have got to them. I'm talking working class, proletariat, poor, black, Good Will Hunting, Archie Bunker types, etc.. Some are in low income geriatric high rises, some in projects, some stay with either dub or non-dub family. However, to contrast your statement, Snare, most of these ones are certainly old now and to be sure are still waiting on the end, but they're not starving, most are homeowners, able to go on vacation a couple or few times a year, and buy a new car if necessitated. In other words, they're not in sh!t. They're not in sh!t no more than I'm in the janitorial or window washing business.
That said, I'm under the impression that the writers and those that influence WT articles on education are from the same time frame as the older dubs I referred to earlier. For them, a college education wasn't absolutely necessary and I believe they're transferring their experiences on this generation irresponsibly. The world has changed, but they're too far out of the loop in Walkhill and Warwick to understand and relate. Also, not everybody is college material, and it's delusional to think that attending will set someone for life. I know far too many people that went to trade schools who are doing better than many college graduates. That's not to say I don't find the WT's stance on education to be irresponsible, because I do and it's one of my biggest beefs with them.
Another thing, the whole congregation vs. family responsibility is such a fine line to walk. I can't tell you how many people I've moved, did shopping for, sometimes spending my own money on items that should have been a family responsibility, taken to the meetings, taken to the doctor, etc.. Meanwhile, these folks had adult family members, often adult sons and daughters, both dub and non-dub that were capable but simply irresponsible. To be fair, sometimes it was just more convenient to make a call to someone in the congregation. Again, this is another thing that I think gets forgotten here on JWN, is that you cannot generally say that older ones are forgotten in the congregation. I remember as a kid my father dragging me along to help clean a roach infested apartment of an older sister who had adult children that should have handled it. I might give my identity away by revealing this but it's important to me that this thread has balance. In the long run, three elders got together, including my father, they pooled their money together and moved her. It wasn't that her adult relatives and kids weren't capable or relations were strained due to the WT. No, it was irresponsibility on the part of the family. My belief is, primary responsibility lies with family, that includes DFd adult kids. The funny thing is, the DFd and non-JW relatives will have contact with their elderly JW relatives, but will leave the uncomfortable work up to the congregation. Not saying its a general rule, but I've seen it and experienced it enough.
