By contrast, the vast majority of the population are completely different. If they do read a book, it is the latest pulp fiction bestseller. Interestingly, they can afford their cigarettes, alcohol, CDs, and home video rentals. They can often afford one, or even two, holidays a year, and a whole range of other luxuries. They say they cannot afford it.
Times are tough.
In certain rare cases, this might well be true. In most cases though, it is simply an excuse. The brutal truth is that nobody else is going to care less if they don't advance in life but fall back instead. They are the ones who will suffer. Ironically, it is the very people who need to commit to self education who are the last people to do it.