A Short Take on Big Ideas: The Student Debt Crisis @ Secular Saturday

Join us for the inaugural session of “A Short Take on Big Ideas” series as we explore the student debt crisis. At each monthly session, we will watch a few video clips on the topic of the day (see below), discuss the ideas presented, and consider how we can raise awareness and act on this issue as informed members of society.

The video clips and discussion will be from 3:00—4:30. Afterwards, join other Secular Saturday attendees in the gallery for refreshments and socializing.

Taking out student loans has become a common way to finance higher education in pursuit of a stable and well-paid career. However, there is a price to take for this action, and the question “Is it worth it?” weighs heavily on those seeking an answer.

Josh Mitchell of the Wall Street Journal writes: “By charging more in interest and allowing [students] to take out bigger loans, Congress thought it was doing borrowers a favor—giving them access to higher education—while also making taxpayers money. A win-win. Instead, the government had sunk millions of borrowers into a crisis.”

His 2021 book, “The Debt Trap: How Student Loans Became a National Catastrophe,” was named the best book of 2021 by NPR and the New York Post.

Join HumanistsMN member and recent graduate, Sophie Lee, to discuss this critical issue after watching these video clips together.
· ABC News College amid the student debt crisis
· How student debt will cripple the American dream. | Dusty Wunderlich | TEDx University of Nevada (from 3:22 onward)
· Exploring Tough Policy Issues through an AAUW Lens: The Student Debt Crisis (from 9:14 onward)

No prep is required to participate, but here are some additional books Sophie will reference during the session and recommends to those who want to do a deeper dive into the topic.

· The Debt Trap: How Student Loans Became a National Catastrophe by Josh Mitchell
· Indentured Students: How Government-Guaranteed Loans Left Generations Drowning in College Debt by Elizabeth Tandy Sherman
· It’s Not Common Cent$: A 30-Day Personal Finance Crash Course for College Students and Young Adults. How to Manage Money, Save Money Fast, Pay off Debt and Invest in the Stock Market by Aaminah Amin

This event is sponsored by HumanistsMN. If you are not yet a member, please consider joining to help us cover our costs and build the humanist movement. Not ready to join? Donations are gratefully accepted! Join or donate at humanistsmn.org.

To register or comment on this event, view listing on Meetup.com.