Here is another example of what Illinois’ elected official think of the people paying the bills. They really do believe that the people exist to support the government and their wants and needs.
I worked for DoE for 27 years retired at 49 (GS12) well before MRA of 57 on disability and we never had a union. Didnt need one. Hard to get in trouble unless drugs in your desk or something. We literally had people that didnt do shit. One guy I knew built spec homes during the day while in employ at Forest service. I just took two hour lunches on the regular.
I was offered a government job over 40 years ago. In purely financial terms (security-wise, especially) I look back and have to say I was foolish not to take it. On the other hand, I have known people who have had govt jobs and have said how stifling and mind-numbing and frustrating such jobs are. What is the price for giving up your independent vision for the productivity of your future and for giving up an independent path for actualizing that?
A jobs program. Because... working in a factory is dehumanizing, therefore it is a great moral advance to send our manufacturing overseas to China so we can enjoy the society-wide benefits of a fully humanized workforce doing humanizing jobs like teaching in the Chicago public schools, building up our human capital right here at home so we can do the knowledge work other countries will pay us for royally, but can never do themselves because we thought of it first, ha ha ha. 😐
THE PERFECT comment on this subject. You have summarized the the last 40 years of the U.S. economy very succinctly. The "service economy" didn't make any sense to me then and makes less now, unless it was all to increase corporate profits through cheaper labor. That gig is up, now.
Thanks, Tamsin! Really interesting and thought provoking essay. Although many have foreseen the problem of AI displacing workers I have seen very few examining the root problems with such, especially with reference to human nature.
He hits the problem with Communism (and for that matter, equality of outcomes) right on the head:
"In the age of AI and UBI, almost no one can feed themselves by the economic means, because almost everyone is below the ZMP threshold. So everything becomes political."
We have seen this over and over again in history with disastrous results.
Aristotle was of the opinion that a society should aim to maximize the happiness of its population given the dictates of nature (including human nature), which includes the notion that everyone has different interests and abilities. The method for doing so was to enable people to find their purpose, give them the means to maximize their potential and the ability to fulfill their purpose.
In the author's terms this maximal application of abilities is considered part of "prosperity" but it has nothing to do with "luxury." He also tangentially raises a great question about our present day capitalism: In a system that measures productivity in terms of consumption and financial gain only, how do we measure real productivity (maximization of potential) and happiness (fulfillment of purpose)?
I graduated college in 1988 after the Stock Market crash and one of the selling points at .gov recruiting desks was "see private sector & all these peoples 401ks" wiped out. "You have a guaranteed pension with us". Not so sure anymore.
I read too much stuff, and listen to too many podcasts, to properly remember where exactly I heard or read about the UK’s current economic situation. But regardless, the U.S. is on the path to emulating the UK economy. That is, no real private sector economic activity. It’s all smoke and mirrors, financialized, and bloated with government workers and government dependents. It is collapsing upon itself. Imploding. The real and actual private economy of the UK is something like 30% of economic activity. Math doesn’t lie, eventually there is a reckoning. May not be in my lifetime, but eventually reality asserts itself. The phony baloney magical fantasy world of today will be interrupted by reality.
It’s a simple solution to the problem, but there is no political will to do it. All they really need to do is cut about 50 to 60% or more of administrative personnel and fire all the unnecessary teachers they don’t need and all of a sudden you got a surplus. This is analogous to what Elon Musk did with Twitter. He fired 80% of the people who weren’t doing anything and kept the 20% that was productive.
However, this is all part of the bigger problem of the hollowing out of the real economy, leading to wage stagnation because we lack good jobs for many people. People turn to government jobs, but that can't last. And won't last as we're facing increasing difficulty in exporting inflation.
You did not mention the student to teacher ratio in a lot of the CPS schools is almost 1 to 1 and most of the kid are failing to get to grade level in math and reading. Alot of money with awful results
And remember that the Neanderthals in the Illinois legislature did not renew the
Invest in Kids program which provided the only help for parents who desired a better education for their children. No school choice in Illinois. The Chicago Teachers Union fought (and won) that battle.
Here is another example of what Illinois’ elected official think of the people paying the bills. They really do believe that the people exist to support the government and their wants and needs.
https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/illinois-lawmaker-suggests-some-residents-downsize-if-they-cant-afford-property-taxes-will-county-board-natalie-coleman-d-plainfield-raquel-mitchell-r-bolingbrook
NAFTA was the beginning of a shift to a services based economy.
A combination of CPS and Mayor Anxiety’s version of modern day reparations.
so let me get this right.
A system that teaches numeracy is going broke, because they do no not understand numeracy?
Wow.
It's jobfare, or employment as reparations.
I worked for DoE for 27 years retired at 49 (GS12) well before MRA of 57 on disability and we never had a union. Didnt need one. Hard to get in trouble unless drugs in your desk or something. We literally had people that didnt do shit. One guy I knew built spec homes during the day while in employ at Forest service. I just took two hour lunches on the regular.
I was offered a government job over 40 years ago. In purely financial terms (security-wise, especially) I look back and have to say I was foolish not to take it. On the other hand, I have known people who have had govt jobs and have said how stifling and mind-numbing and frustrating such jobs are. What is the price for giving up your independent vision for the productivity of your future and for giving up an independent path for actualizing that?
A jobs program. Because... working in a factory is dehumanizing, therefore it is a great moral advance to send our manufacturing overseas to China so we can enjoy the society-wide benefits of a fully humanized workforce doing humanizing jobs like teaching in the Chicago public schools, building up our human capital right here at home so we can do the knowledge work other countries will pay us for royally, but can never do themselves because we thought of it first, ha ha ha. 😐
THE PERFECT comment on this subject. You have summarized the the last 40 years of the U.S. economy very succinctly. The "service economy" didn't make any sense to me then and makes less now, unless it was all to increase corporate profits through cheaper labor. That gig is up, now.
You might enjoy this analysis of the big problem we, as a nation, face from our unrestrained AI enthusiasts in the current year,
https://open.substack.com/pub/graymirror/p/sam-altmans-lamplighter
Cheers!
Thanks, Tamsin! Really interesting and thought provoking essay. Although many have foreseen the problem of AI displacing workers I have seen very few examining the root problems with such, especially with reference to human nature.
He hits the problem with Communism (and for that matter, equality of outcomes) right on the head:
"In the age of AI and UBI, almost no one can feed themselves by the economic means, because almost everyone is below the ZMP threshold. So everything becomes political."
We have seen this over and over again in history with disastrous results.
Aristotle was of the opinion that a society should aim to maximize the happiness of its population given the dictates of nature (including human nature), which includes the notion that everyone has different interests and abilities. The method for doing so was to enable people to find their purpose, give them the means to maximize their potential and the ability to fulfill their purpose.
In the author's terms this maximal application of abilities is considered part of "prosperity" but it has nothing to do with "luxury." He also tangentially raises a great question about our present day capitalism: In a system that measures productivity in terms of consumption and financial gain only, how do we measure real productivity (maximization of potential) and happiness (fulfillment of purpose)?
Thanks again!
I graduated college in 1988 after the Stock Market crash and one of the selling points at .gov recruiting desks was "see private sector & all these peoples 401ks" wiped out. "You have a guaranteed pension with us". Not so sure anymore.
I read too much stuff, and listen to too many podcasts, to properly remember where exactly I heard or read about the UK’s current economic situation. But regardless, the U.S. is on the path to emulating the UK economy. That is, no real private sector economic activity. It’s all smoke and mirrors, financialized, and bloated with government workers and government dependents. It is collapsing upon itself. Imploding. The real and actual private economy of the UK is something like 30% of economic activity. Math doesn’t lie, eventually there is a reckoning. May not be in my lifetime, but eventually reality asserts itself. The phony baloney magical fantasy world of today will be interrupted by reality.
Great point and great comment. I think it will happen sooner than we think.
It’s a simple solution to the problem, but there is no political will to do it. All they really need to do is cut about 50 to 60% or more of administrative personnel and fire all the unnecessary teachers they don’t need and all of a sudden you got a surplus. This is analogous to what Elon Musk did with Twitter. He fired 80% of the people who weren’t doing anything and kept the 20% that was productive.
However, this is all part of the bigger problem of the hollowing out of the real economy, leading to wage stagnation because we lack good jobs for many people. People turn to government jobs, but that can't last. And won't last as we're facing increasing difficulty in exporting inflation.
We need blue collar jobs.
"...hollowing out of the real economy..." has devastated our nation.
We have the haves and the have nots.
Or the have nots and the have yachts.
You did not mention the student to teacher ratio in a lot of the CPS schools is almost 1 to 1 and most of the kid are failing to get to grade level in math and reading. Alot of money with awful results
And remember that the Neanderthals in the Illinois legislature did not renew the
Invest in Kids program which provided the only help for parents who desired a better education for their children. No school choice in Illinois. The Chicago Teachers Union fought (and won) that battle.
Choice to kill them in the womb. No choice to educate them once they're born.
At least they're consistent in their abuse of children.
I'm aware of that, as well as keeping schools open that should be closed due to lack of students. It's all part of the mix.