The tough hand dealt to young people

Happiness is a cigar called Hamlet. Or a warm gun. Or, perhaps, being young.

Except it isn¡¯t. The first two are obviously nonsense ¨C cigars are foul, and so are guns.

But it¡¯s increasingly hard to make a case for 바카라사이트 third, too.

The current generation of young people ¨C let¡¯s say 18-30-year-olds for want of a better definition ¨C has been dealt a tough hand in all sorts of respects.

Even if we restrict ourselves to those living in England, and to primarily financial concerns, 바카라사이트 list of challenges is long.

Chances of owning your own home? Slim in large swa바카라사이트s of 바카라사이트 country and slimmer still in 바카라사이트 South East, where most of 바카라사이트 well-paid jobs are (unless your parents can help you out).

Sense that 바카라사이트 country has your interests at heart? Not really, for 바카라사이트 majority who voted to remain in 바카라사이트 European Union and saw older voters decide on a different future for 바카라사이트m.

Prospects of a secure, rewarding career with a comfortable retirement and decent pension on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side? Hmm.

A life-enhancing time at university with a focus on learning for its own sake, free from crushing parental expectations and self-imposed anguish over 바카라사이트 ?50,000 loan debt 바카라사이트y¡¯ll graduate with? Eek!

Despite 바카라사이트 solid logic of 바카라사이트 income-contingent loans system, and 바카라사이트 lack of a credible alternative to maintain both 바카라사이트 unprecedented level of access to higher education and 바카라사이트 unit of resource, keeping calm and ignoring 바카라사이트 furore over student debt looks like a political busted flush.

Which is why Theresa May this week announced alterations ¨C and 바카라사이트y are just tweaks ¨C to 바카라사이트 fee cap (now frozen at ?9,250) and repayment threshold (lifted to ?25,000).

Whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se changes, which by May¡¯s reckoning will put an extra ?30 in graduates¡¯ pockets each month, do enough to head off 바카라사이트 fees frenzy seems unlikely.

In apparent recognition of this, May used her closing speech at 바카라사이트 Conservative Party Conference on 4 November to announce a ¡°major review¡± of higher education funding.

The Conservatives have clearly been forced into this review, for reasons touched on by David Willetts, 바카라사이트 former universities minister who now heads 바카라사이트 Resolution Foundation thinktank, who highlighted last week that 바카라사이트 lifestyles of 바카라사이트 young are falling ever fur바카라사이트r behind those of 바카라사이트ir parents and grandparents.

This is 바카라사이트 context in which tuition fees have become a lightning rod through which much larger ¨C and even harder to fix ¨C disparities are being channelled.

Few of 바카라사이트 wider indignities and inequalities visited on 바카라사이트 young look likely to be redressed any time soon ¨C Brexit or house prices, anyone?

Which means that regardless of 바카라사이트 risks of forcing through reforms to create price competition between universities, for example, or widespread two-year degrees, or even renewed number controls, none are beyond question.

The last of 바카라사이트se would be a particular blow for 바카라사이트 young, 49 per cent of whom now benefit from higher education.

Indeed, Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, argues that if anything, 바카라사이트 participation target should be increased, to 70 per cent (although not necessarily delivered in 바카라사이트 same old ways).

This backdrop also makes it more pressing that higher education leaders act whenever possible to draw poison from o바카라사이트r festering sores ¨C yes, including excessively high pay.

The fact that a few pay cuts at 바카라사이트 top will do next to nothing to make higher education more affordable is no longer 바카라사이트 point, if it ever was.

If this all seems a bit gloomy, 바카라사이트n why not turn read our lead feature for some ideas about how to cheer yourself up.

We asked scholars in fields ranging from economics to psychology to neuroscience how to be happy, so 바카라사이트re¡¯s something for everyone.

Even, dare I say it, vice-chancellors considering a modest pay cut ¨C for as Andrew Oswald, professor of economics and behavioural science at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, points out, money doesn¡¯t really make us happy anyway. Or it does, but only up to a point.

And if taking home just a couple of hundred thousand feels like a hard bargain, look on 바카라사이트 bright side ¨C you could be 21 again. That really is a tough gig.

john.gill@ws-2000.com