'Getting boos from 16,000 people about student loans…' blog discussion

MSE_Martin

I have to say when I read a thread like this upsets me and makes me wonder what the point is.

While I can cope with political debate over the structure of fees and loans and accept the balance of message is a tough one.

To read such garbage as one of the posters above is spouting about my motivations is disheartening, insulting, near libellous and outrageous - I have to put up with a lot of stick doing my job but thats going too far.

oakhouse13

I think that is slightly unfair. The posters have been thanking each other. It is a discussion.

MSE_Martin

oakhouse13 wrote: »

I think that is slightly unfair. The posters have been thanking each other. It is a discussion.

I have put up with your, what often feel like offensive and nasty allegations and comments for a very long time. I have never fettered your right to say things even though you often try and paint a horrendous picture of this website and me.

What you have written above offends and upsets me and risks damaging a hugely worthwhile project with only the best intentions.

oakhouse13

Sorry. I won't post anymore. I genuinely do not agree with what I think is a commercial message that you bring into people's lives. They are free to not listen and the fact you have millions of subscribers suggests I am wrong.

You have succeeded in shutting down my voice which you have every right to as it is your website. I have always posted with the common good in mind.

oakhouse13

Logged on to delete my account and can't see how to. I will contact your forum manager by email and ask for my account to be closed.

MSE_Martin

oakhouse13 wrote: »

Sorry. I won't post anymore. I genuinely do not agree with what I think is a commercial message that you bring into people's lives. They are free to not listen and the fact you have millions of subscribers suggests I am wrong.

You have succeeded in shutting down my voice which you have every right to as it is your website. I have always posted with the common good in mind.

It is of course your right to choose to delete your account. However just to clarify in case you have misread my note above, I may not like what you've written, but you have not lost your permission to post on this forum

oakhouse13

Your team has not had time to respond to my email and close my account so I can post again. I've said sorry. What you've said is not how it feels to me. It is your website. I don't think my posts were on a par with some of the others. I realise you have taken on a difficult task for the right reasons. I don't agree with how you think about debt. I do want to leave your website of my own free will and wish you the best in what you are trying to do.

MSE_Martin

oakhouse13 wrote: »

Your team has not had time to respond to my email and close my account so I can post again. I've said sorry. What you've said is not how it feels to me. It is your website. I don't think my posts were on a par with some of the others. I realise you have taken on a difficult task for the right reasons. I don't agree with how you think about debt. I do want to leave your website of my own free will and wish you the best in what you are trying to do.

Thank you for that.

Again you are still free of course to remain as a forum user - whatever you feel most comfortable with.

WISHIWASRICH_2

Lokolo wrote: »

And neither is Martin, Student Loans are not a commercial debt, and aren't anything that Martin Lewis can benefit from.

This web site is full of people in debt.

Students of the future are going to end up in lots and lots of debt.

I'm sure many of them will end up on the debt free wannabe board.

Isn't it ironic that you will have encouraged them to get there Martin?

It must fill you with some cognitive dissonance?

MSE_Martin

WISHIWASRICH wrote: »

This web site is full of people in debt.

Students of the future are going to end up in lots and lots of debt.

I'm sure many of them will end up on the debt free wannabe board.

Isn't it ironic that you will have encouraged them to get there Martin?

It must fill you with some cognitive dissonance?

I really don't understand the point. I've spent my career explaining to people how to decide when to borrow and when not to. I thiink going to university is a life enhancing thing for many people. Just like getting a house.

The fact is whether we like it or not the state does not provide either of those things. Therefore it needs to be provided and the only way involves a form of debt in both (though student loans are a much more palatable version than mortgages - you can't lose your home and you don't repay if you lose your job and the debt wipes whether you've repaid it or not)

Therefore what we need to do is ensure that the system is explained and understood so a rational decision can happen.

What confuses me about posts like this is what you actually think we should do. Of course we can campaign against changes - this iss something I've written about - we haven't given up against early redemption penalties.

Yet to say we shoudl encourage people with the talent whom uni is right for to be scared of it - that we shouldn't educate them is something I dont understand.

As I've written for many years "for 20 years we have educated our youth into debt when they go to university, but never about debt" That has meant the stigma of borrowing has been lessened and caused irrevocable harm.

So I believe in educating them - in showing them the differences, in helping them make a rational decision about the costs of different types of borrowing - in showing them how the system works. Educating people more empowers them to make a rational choice.

I simply don't believe it does anyone any favours to promote a "its all crap" message to aspiring children.

Martin