As far as reasons...Isn't a lot of it just a natural result of parenting?

If I look at our doctor friends, an amazing number of them had one or more of their parents who were also doctors. Same with my lawyer friends. Kids tend to follow in the footsteps of their parents. My friends from high school whose parents had blue collar jobs tend to also have blue collar jobs now. Then you add genetics into it... smart successful people tend to be attracted to and marry other smart, successful people and it is estimated that 60 to 70% (in some cases it's been estimated to be has high as 80%) of intelligence is inherited, and you get even more of a tendency for children to follow in the footsteps of their parents.

Another factor that I think plays a big role is geographic mobility and willingness to move to where career opportunities are. So many people grow up, graduate from high school and start working in their hometown. Your chances of doing that and having significant economic mobility, even with a college education, are very slim unless your hometown is in a major city. But going back to work in your small down in the south, even with a college degree is going to limit your ability to achieve significant economic mobility.

I posted this a few days ago, but if I look at all my high school friends, for the most part they're all doing "fine", but they've also all experienced about zero economic mobility as compared to their parents. They all also have "jobs" more than they have "careers". They all now have college degrees (some took the 8 year plan), but the biggest difference between my economic mobility (I'm far better off than my parents) and their economic mobility is they stayed in Virginia Beach (which is not exactly a hotbed of career opportunities), and I got the hell out and went to where the jobs. I ended up moving 5 times in my career to take better / bigger job opportunities. I would not be anywhere near where I am today had I moved back to Virginia Beach, or even stayed in Memphis (the location of my first job out of college).

(In response to this post by Seattle .Hoo)

Posted: 07/08/2019 at 10:27AM

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Intergenerational mobility. South at bottom but believe differently -- WarmHoo 07/08/2019 09:29AM

This was already posted. ** -- ryno hoo 07/08/2019 10:44AM

Kind of a truncated article. It doesn't go much into the reasons for this -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 10:03AM

As far as reasons...Isn't a lot of it just a natural result of parenting? -- BocaHoo91 07/08/2019 10:27AM

I remembered seeing this study when reading your post. -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 11:01AM

That's part of it, too, of course. If we're going to go anecdotal, I grew -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 10:42AM

I don't know that I'm suggesting we just go anecdotal. What's the -- BocaHoo91 07/08/2019 12:59PM

I disagree it actually is hard unless you are born into the middle or upper -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 1:10PM

If you have an average or better intelligence which one of the following -- BocaHoo91 07/08/2019 1:47PM

It all sounds so easy. And #5 I don't think most people can do even if they -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 1:56PM

You don't think most people who graduate with a a college degree can -- BocaHoo91 07/08/2019 2:23PM

I think it's tough with housing costs, etc. I wouldn't presume otherwise. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 2:33PM

We'll just have to agree to disagree. If a single 22 or 23 year old -- BocaHoo91 07/08/2019 2:54PM

Reading a book now called "White Trash" which attempts to explain the -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 09:54AM

White southerners are the GOP's favorite patsies. Have been since the late -- WahooRQ 07/08/2019 10:50AM

When I moved to Richmond, I heard about old money versus new money -- WahooMatt05 07/08/2019 10:12AM

Old Money is very much a real thing in Richmond as well as other older -- Tuckahokie 07/08/2019 10:19AM

Old money is every where -- VaTechie 07/08/2019 11:36AM

Oh yeah. “Has” not “had.” ** -- southdenverhoo 07/08/2019 12:27PM

Oops, so right -- VaTechie 07/08/2019 12:28PM

I don't think it's exclusive to the South. But it's interesting to say -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 10:36AM

Old Money does not necessary act like they were born on third base and -- Tuckahokie 07/08/2019 10:52AM

Bingo. New money has fake tits and stars in Real Housewives of Wyndham. -- jackethoo 07/08/2019 11:17AM

Al Czervik vs. Elihu Smails ** -- PBCHoo 07/08/2019 11:27AM

It's always been that way. Back thousands of years. ** -- Hokieesith 07/08/2019 10:16AM

That's sort of the point - the US is supposed to be a break from that 1000s -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 10:31AM

Remember having this discussion a few years ago regarding the various data -- WahooRQ 07/08/2019 10:57AM

FFV, the first family, in the sovereign colony of Virginia. ;)** -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 10:14AM

I would recommend "America Aflame: How the Civil War Created a Nation" by -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 10:11AM

Thank you! ** -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 10:13AM

Outstanding book. Daughter gave it to me last year. Good read. ** -- Lazarus 07/08/2019 09:57AM