I’ve been thinking, and when I think, sometimes lots of weird thoughts come out of the windy cavity in my head.
These days, many of us could actually do our jobs anywhere in the world with internet access. We don’t really work 40 hour weeks; in between lots of cups of coffee, meetings or CUK visits, we have brainy productive moments; those moments are so productive that our clients can justify paying hefty amounts of money to benefit from them.
If we want to manufacture something, it doesn’t matter where we design the thing. It doesn’t even practically matter where we make it, as long as we can install the right machines and give the machine operators basic training.
Most jobs in Western Europe are now in service sectors. Even in Germany, Northern Italy and Britain, which were traditionally the industrial powerhouses of Europe, many more people are now employed selling services or consumer products or providing luxury services like beauty treatments, personal training and so on to the richer people in society.
We don’t really have many jobs for people who are only good at lugging stuff about or hitting things or smashing up rocks. Even in the building industry, employers need people who are literate enough to read and understand machine instructions, safety guidelines and so on. There are a few jobs going in agriculture in the few sectors where harvesting hasn’t been automated but by definition they are seasonal jobs.
This leaves us, the professional classes and skilled craftsperson classes, with a problem. What do we do with those people who are not smart enough to do the clever brainy work, not socially skilled enough to provide services where personality and friendliness are required, and in many cases not physically strong enough to join the army, which is significantly smaller than it used to be and requires more than just basic literacy?
Should we recognize that some people are basically ill equipped to survive in the modern economy, are unable to contribute, and in fact require so much management and instruction that their labour can never be productive? Perhaps we should then ensure that those people are paid a wage to stay out of the labour market. Not just a measly social benefit, but a generous wage and assistance so they can live decently, and at all times have an opportunity to join the ranks of the workers if they show they are able.
If we keep those people in poverty, they’re going to spend their time nicking our stuff, beating us up, smashing up bus stops and generally making a pain in the arse of themselves. What next?
We have to be careful to avoid 'ubermensch' and 'untermensch' type thoughts here, but how else can we deal with the fact that we just don't really have roles in society for the chronically thick?
Do we perhaps have to return to creating nonsense jobs for them? Deliberately not automate things that could be done by machines, to protect the society in which we live?
These days, many of us could actually do our jobs anywhere in the world with internet access. We don’t really work 40 hour weeks; in between lots of cups of coffee, meetings or CUK visits, we have brainy productive moments; those moments are so productive that our clients can justify paying hefty amounts of money to benefit from them.
If we want to manufacture something, it doesn’t matter where we design the thing. It doesn’t even practically matter where we make it, as long as we can install the right machines and give the machine operators basic training.
Most jobs in Western Europe are now in service sectors. Even in Germany, Northern Italy and Britain, which were traditionally the industrial powerhouses of Europe, many more people are now employed selling services or consumer products or providing luxury services like beauty treatments, personal training and so on to the richer people in society.
We don’t really have many jobs for people who are only good at lugging stuff about or hitting things or smashing up rocks. Even in the building industry, employers need people who are literate enough to read and understand machine instructions, safety guidelines and so on. There are a few jobs going in agriculture in the few sectors where harvesting hasn’t been automated but by definition they are seasonal jobs.
This leaves us, the professional classes and skilled craftsperson classes, with a problem. What do we do with those people who are not smart enough to do the clever brainy work, not socially skilled enough to provide services where personality and friendliness are required, and in many cases not physically strong enough to join the army, which is significantly smaller than it used to be and requires more than just basic literacy?
Should we recognize that some people are basically ill equipped to survive in the modern economy, are unable to contribute, and in fact require so much management and instruction that their labour can never be productive? Perhaps we should then ensure that those people are paid a wage to stay out of the labour market. Not just a measly social benefit, but a generous wage and assistance so they can live decently, and at all times have an opportunity to join the ranks of the workers if they show they are able.
If we keep those people in poverty, they’re going to spend their time nicking our stuff, beating us up, smashing up bus stops and generally making a pain in the arse of themselves. What next?
We have to be careful to avoid 'ubermensch' and 'untermensch' type thoughts here, but how else can we deal with the fact that we just don't really have roles in society for the chronically thick?
Do we perhaps have to return to creating nonsense jobs for them? Deliberately not automate things that could be done by machines, to protect the society in which we live?
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