[jean_claude]

> The article makes the point that debt is taken on expectations of future growth, and that it is in fact what enables the creation of engines (personal or commercial) to realize that growth. I think that that's a crucial point to make: debt itself is not terrible.

Quite true. Of course, not everyone who receives a good education, even in an in-demand field is guaranteed success. Once you've built up all that nondischargeable debt and real life happens, that rosy outlook may get a bit tarnished for some.

> The author though fails to really explain (beyond a slight waggling of eyebrows and insinuation that it is peoples' own fault) that the future payoffs look worse and worse.

Don't you know that being successful is the highest of virtues, while not succeeding is considered a mortal sin?