ok, goob, I gotta ask you a question:

Yeah. When you get into the nitty gritty of it, it is more complex.

... If you knew that, why'd you say it so reductively in the first place? The job situation - not just in America, but also the world - is multifaceted and has a lot of intricacies.

I'm a good example - I'm paying my bills off as much as I can. I work 4 days a week 6:30-2:30 at a restaurant baking and food prepping for more than minimum wage here, as well as one night a week teaching music lessons, and occasional paying music gigs as I work on building a sustainable music career here in my city. I live in my parent's basement, where I contribute to the family by helping with bills and cooking (i get home earlier, so I cook).

I have a Master's degree, and lots of student loans to go with it -though I will admit I did very well with scholarships and bursaries. Nevertheless, If I were paying all of my debt down right now, I would be bankrupt. I would be unable to pay my debts even while working 38 hours a week for more than minimum wage (for my 6 teaching hours, significantly more than minimum wage - 27 dollars an hour) and the musicians' equivalent of odd jobs.

I am lucky. Most of my debt is held by the Canadian government and is - through me filing out paperwork, etc - currently in a state of "hold", meaning I don't make any payments off of it. I am currently working to pay down my other debts, which makes my life more manageable. There are lots of people stateside who don't have the advantages I have. They're good people, and some of them even went to school for much more sensible degrees than I did. A lot of these people are working to pay off their debt - working more than 40 hours a week at it too - they just don't make enough money. Your minimum wage in the US is a fucking joke. I bet your roller derby friend, happy as she may be, probably doesn't make that much money either - even as a construction worker.

I'm working 9-5 and paying my bills on time, at least...

Is that enough? Is all of life just paying off incurred debt then dying? It seems like that's what the "american dream" has become.