I was in higher education for ten years. I paid my way through using a combination of private savings, and eventually my father convinced my boss to pay for my education if he wanted me to work full time (I was a REALLY good employee at his small business). I fortunately graduated debt-free unlike most of my peers.
Yes, I worked my way through, and I "earned" my degree the hard way (I made my boss millions through my own hard work for his company so I earned that degree).
But, I still 100% support any kind of student debt relief for everyone struggling to pay off student debt. It's called wanting a better life for my fellow human. That money in their wallet would be better spent in the local economy, not paid to some mega bank corporation swallowing up interest on student debt.
I guess I just have compassion for my fellow human being over some ruthless corporation.
Dude, you wouldn't believe what kids are told. My former assistant at a previous job was literally encouraged by his parents to take out personal loans instead of education loans because they were extremely fiscally uneducated and were trying to help their son get a loan without knowing the difference. And being a young teen, he didn't know any better than to listen to his parents when they suggested where to get a loan and such.